


Like Fire to Kindle

by rubberduckz84



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dragons, Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:40:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 81,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24821728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubberduckz84/pseuds/rubberduckz84
Summary: Ophelia Wood is grateful for her business trip to the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary. Not only is it a month away from her annoying brothers, but it’s a chance to finally fulfill her dream of working with dragons. Enter Charlie Weasley. What happens when you combine a Wood and a Weasley? They take like fire to kindle.
Relationships: Charlie Weasley/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 142





	1. The Big News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Ophelia Wood announces to her family and friends that she's about to head out to Romania for a month to fulfill a life-long dream of working with dragons.

**The Big News**

Ophelia Wood sat at the table in her parent’s dining room, calmly eating her lunch though chaos currently reigned around her. Well, that might be a tad bit overdramatic, but her family gatherings _did_ often feel chaotic. Whether it was both sides together or just her immediate family.

Her brothers were usually the reason why. And were certainly the cause of the noise at the moment.

Barely five minutes had passed after they all sat down and started passing the food around before her older brother Duncan made a snide comment about Puddlemere’s chances at the playoffs that year, baiting her twin Oliver. While they had now just made it about halfway through the meal, Ophelia was waiting (sans bated breath) for Oliver to implode, as he was sure to do any second from the way the vein was now bulging in his forehead.

For her part, Ophelia was counting down the minutes until she could escape to her quiet, safe haven of a flat in Diagon Alley. After lunch with the family, there was nothing she wanted more than to curl up with a book and a cup of tea, surrounded by the various animals currently taking up residence with her.

It wasn’t that she didn’t love her family - she loved them fiercely. It was more so the overwhelming desire to escape the madness that was her two brothers during quidditch season.

Why couldn’t she (or any of them, really) ever say no to their mother when it came to their monthly lunch gatherings? They always ended up in either a shouting match or actual blows between her brothers - granted they always saved that for outside, lest their mother box their ears.

Just why was it the two were always bickering? Ophelia wasn’t sure. Though the only time they ever seemed to get on (outside of their mother forcing them to, anyway) was when they were united in teasing Ophelia. Or going after whatever bloke she was dating. Or bloke that so much as looked at her. That was far more annoying than the fights, in her mind.

“You take that back!” Oliver shouted, specks of food flying out of his mouth as he jumped to his feet and glared across the table at their older brother Duncan. Ophelia sighed and looked down at her watch.

Twenty minutes - that was a new record for Duncan.

“Oliver! Sit down!” their mother ordered, scowling at him and Duncan as their father laughed from the other end of the table. 

Ophelia looked up as Oliver continued to glare across the table, but sat back down. Although they were now 24 and Duncan 28, it seemed the two were destined to revert to 12 years old when forced to spend too much time around each other. 

Duncan wore a smug grin, knowing that Oliver wouldn’t dare throttle him while the two were still inside the house. Davina Wood still ran a tight ship though all three of her children were now adults, though her husband Fergus lived to rile them up and egg them on. 

“All I’m saying is your seeker is shite and you know it,” Duncan continued as Oliver narrowed his eyes. “Management gone barmy or something?”

“No, just he’s got a tight contract and we’re stuck with him for the time being. But we still might have a good chance at the playoffs this year despite that,” Oliver grumbled before shoving more food in his mouth.

He wasn’t completely wrong, Ophelia thought, though she knew not to take sides in a Wood brothers argument. The team had a strong set of chasers and Oliver was touted as one of the strongest keepers in the League. Duncan was likely sore that his favorite team - the Wanderers - hadn’t made it to the playoffs the last two seasons. And Puddlemere had just beat them in a recent match.

“About a snowflake’s chance in hell,” Duncan retorted with a snort. Oliver froze, his brown eyes blazing across the table. 

“For Christ’s sake, can’t we go at least one meal without the two of ye carrying on about quidditch?!” Davina shouted in exasperation. “I want to hear what’s goin’ on in my bairns’ lives! Not all that sport mince.”

“Not ta mention, ye poor sister hasna gotten a word in since ye two numpties walked in,” Fergus said. Both Oliver and Duncan looked sheepishly at Ophelia, who only shrugged in response.

At this point in her life, Ophelia was used to being overlooked thanks to her brothers. Both had been loud, brash Gryffindors while she had been a (much) quieter, (more) sensible Hufflepuff. While they had spent their Hogwarts years seeking glory through quidditch and what have you, Ophelia had only wanted to get high enough marks so she could work at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

Then Duncan had graduated, quickly making a name for himself as an auror. Then Oliver got signed on Puddlemere Reserves. Then made first string. And now he was in every issue of Witch Weekly, making yet another list of hottest bachelor or hottest keeper or hottest Scots player. Ophelia wondered if they just made those lists up for the sole reason of inflating his ego even more. Someone there was clearly obsessed with him.

And then both her brothers had fought at the Battle of Hogwarts and even earned Orders of Merlin for their efforts. While Ophelia had wanted to be there as well, she found herself literally locked out of the country while on a work trip to study thunderbirds in America. She highly suspected Duncan had something to do with it, using his pull to keep her out of the country and somewhere safer. Even their parents had joined her in Arizona for several months. 

As though either of her brothers would have let her fight in any battle even if she had been here.

“So, how’s work, my love?” her mother asked, her voice much more cheerful as she addressed her daughter.

“Fair,” Ophelia said casually. “They’ve moved me to a new team.” She took a bite and looked up at her mother, trying to keep a cool look on her face. Truth be told, she had been dying to tell them her news.

“Well, I’d say that’s news,” Davina said. “Which team? And is it a promotion?” 

Ophelia could barely contain her grin as she looked around the table. Six years of working at the Ministry and she had finally made it to the team of her dreams.

“Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau,” she said proudly. 

Duncan and Oliver gave each other looks, but her father was already jumping to his feet and running over to her.

“That’s my girl!” he shouted as he pulled her up from her chair and twirled her around while she laughed. Her father had always encouraged her love of animals and aspirations in the Ministry. Just as he had encouraged Oliver with quidditch and Duncan with auror training. 

“Seems a bit dangerous. Working with dragons,” her mother said cautiously.

“Doubt she’ll ever see one. Too bogged down by paperwork and all,” Duncan said lazily. Now that she was back on the ground, Ophelia rounded on him with a smug look on her face.

“Oh, there you’re wrong, brother. They’re thinking of reopening the Hebrides reserve and I’m headin’ up the project,” she said proudly. “Leavin’ next week to spend a month in Romania to observe the reserve there.”

Both Oliver and Duncan’s mouths dropped open as Fergus gave another shout of excitement. Ophelia couldn’t help but feel chuffed. She had been working on this proposal for a few years now, hoping she could get transferred from the Pest Advisory team and it had finally paid off. Course, it didn’t hurt that she got Hermione Granger to back her up on it. While technically a few spots below her on the Ministry ladder - and on a different team entirely as she mostly worked on house elf legislation - everyone bent over backwards to listen to the lone woman of the Golden Trio. Throwing her weight behind the proposal had gotten the right people to actually give it a once over and take it seriously.

“You mean dragons? Here?” her mother asked, her eyes wide.

“Och, we’re not that close to Hebrides,” Ophelia chided. “It’s far enough away that no one will likely even know they’re there. And it’s not like it’d be the first time. There was a reserve there for years before it shut down.”

“And just why was that?” Oliver asked.

“Pour funding and the McFustys couldn’t handle it anymore,” Ophelia replied with a shrug. And well, there was one incident where a Welsh Green had gotten out, but that was the keeper’s fault. And they did get it back in its habitat without needing to oblivate too many muggles.

“Look at you - my wean. Takin’ on major projects with the Ministry. Savin’ dragons,” Fergus said, his eyes glistening with happy tears. Ophelia blushed, unused to such praise. While her parents had always been supportive of her, this was a bit more than usual.

“It’s no that much a thing,” she said lightly.

“And who’s going to watch that herd of yours while you’re gone?” Oliver asked. “Or are ye takin’ it wi ye?”

“I’d like to take them wi’ me, but…” Ophelia turned to her mother, a sweet grin filling her face. “I was hoping they might stay wi ye…” 

Her mother rolled her eyes and huffed.

“How many creatures do you have now?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“It’s no much. Just Athena, Herbert, Madame and Walter. Could likely take Walter or Madame wi me, actually,” Ophelia said contemplatively. “I’ll know for sure on Monday.” Her mother sighed as Ophelia and her father moved back to their seats and sat down.

“I suppose I can,” she said. “That Walter is a sweet one.” Oliver snorted.

“He’s got one eye,” he replied. Ophelia hit him in the arm, though it hurt her more than him thanks to all the strength training he did in quidditch, making his biceps essentially rocks. He smirked as she shook her hand slightly.

“He’s a good pup. Only needs the one to get around,” she said, defending her one-eyed pug.

“So, a month in Romania. Think you can handle all that time away from civilization?” Duncan asked. Ophelia snorted as her father chuckled.

“I’d say she’d be fine. Spent more time out in the hills than ye two,” Fergus said. “Just so long as she’s got a book or two.”

“And it’s not like I’ll be livin’ in a tent. They’ve got proper housing and such,” Ophelia replied. “There’s a village no too far away if I should need anything. Besides, I’m there to learn about the reserve and everything that goes into running it. Rehabilitating dragons and such.” 

“Isn’t Charlie Weasley there?” Oliver said suddenly, looking over at Duncan, who had been in the same year and was best friends with him.

“Aye, he is,” Duncan said, now starting to smile slyly.

“Oh no. Ye are not going to ask him to look out for me,” Ophelia said, immediately knowing what that look was for. “I can handle myself!”

“Against dragons and all those wild dragon men? I think no,” Duncan said. Ophelia rolled her eyes.

“Are ye daft? Isn’t Charlie one of those dragon men ye want to protect me from?” she asked. Oliver chuckled as Duncan’s smile faded slightly. He obviously hadn’t thought about that. He then shook his head.

“Och, no. He’s a proper sort. He’ll watch out for ye,” Duncan said. Ophelia rolled her eyes again. 

“And here I thought perhaps I’d get away from ye and all this for a month,” she huffed.

“I’m no that bad,” Duncan said as Ophelia glared at him. “Ollie’s the one that punched your last boyfriend, remember?” Oliver frowned at his brother. He had always hated the nickname.

“After you tracked him for a week and told Oliver where he was,” Ophelia said, narrowing her eyes. “There was no need to punch him. I told you _I_ broke up with him because there was no chemistry. And there’s no need to keep your eyes on me in Romania. I’m there for _work_.”

“Aye, but wi dragons,” her mother said. “I’d feel better knowing Charlie’ll be looking out for ye.” Ophelia rolled her eyes again.

“Ye’ve all gone mad,” she grumbled.

“Enough of this blather. My Ophelia’s going to be runnin’ a dragon reserve!” he shouted.

“Ehm… well, not so sure about that-”

“Hush! Let me gloat,” her father said, cutting her off. Ophelia couldn’t help but smile, allowing herself to focus on the good. 

She was going to be working with dragons for a month in Romania. No annoying brothers at all. And soon enough, she would be helping run the only dragon reserve in the U.K.

Fergus raised his glass. 

“To Ophelia!” he shouted.

“Hear, hear…” 

~~~

Ophelia had just settled onto the sofa on her enclosed balcony when there was a knock at the door, Walter next to her and Madame, her Siamese cat, on her lap. The cat raised her head and gave her an annoyed look.

“I know. Me too,” Ophelia said, scratching her head. She put her book down and stood, placing Madame on the sofa as she walked back into the flat. The knocking sounded again, this time more urgent. “I heard ye! Give me a moment!”

She finally made her way to the front door and pulled it open, seeing her best friend Daria Pucey. Her eyebrows rose as she looked Ophelia up and down.

“Why aren’t you ready?” she asked, pushing passed her into the flat, her long dark hair swinging behind her.

“I didn’t realize we had plans,” Ophelia said, shutting the door and turning to see Daria disappearing into her kitchen. 

“Ophelia, love. It’s your last Saturday here for a month. Of course, we’re going out,” Daria called out. Ophelia rolled her eyes and made her way to the kitchen, seeing Daria pouring two glasses of wine. She was dressed in a short party dress, clearly having big plans for their night out.

“Maybe I don’t want to,” Ophelia said, though she wasn’t sure why.

She and Daria did this most weekends. Daria would show up on Saturday night appalled that Ophelia was in her sweats. They would go back and forth a bit before Daria managed to coax her into an outfit and then dragged her out. Ophelia wasn’t exactly sure just how Daria managed to do it - she thought herself rather good at standing up for herself. But Daria was a Slytherin after all.

Oliver and Duncan still didn’t understand how they had been best friends all throughout Hogwarts, seemingly being opposites. Daria was thin as a wisp, cultured, pureblood and rich. She loved fancy things and was always wearing the latest fashions. She never stepped out without full makeup and her dark hair perfectly styled. 

Ophelia, on the other hand, went for comfort over stylish. It wasn’t as though she thought herself ugly by any means, but she wasn’t nearly as stunning as Daria in her mind, with her plain light brown hair that was always in a braid and rather common brown eyes. She was also decidedly more solid than Daria, though was still slender. Daria stood out in a crowd, whether for her looks or her commanding personality. Ophelia was rather good at blending in. 

And then there was the whole Slytherin thing, though Daria’s family never sided with You Know Who. And obviously, she didn’t give one wit about blood purity as she was best friends with Ophelia who wasn’t pureblood at all. 

“We can waste time with our usual back and forth if you want, but we both know that you’re going out with me,” Daria said with a smirk as she held out the glass to Ophelia. She rolled her eyes.

“Where did you have in mind?” she asked. Daria squealed and started running towards Ophelia’s bedroom, managing not to spill any wine on the way. Ophelia followed, markedly less enthused. 

“There’s this posh new club that’s opened up and I’ve gotten us a table,” Daria said, walking straight to Ophelia’s closet. “The owner is friends with my cousin - you remember Marigold, yea? - so we get in free whenever we want. Likely loads of free drinks as well...”

Ophelia chuckled as Daria continued to prattle on about the club while going through her dresses. 

“I’ve invited everyone so we can do a proper celebration for your promotion,” Daria continued.

“Who do you mean everyone?” Ophelia asked, moving to sit on her bed. She didn’t even bother anymore, knowing she’d end up in whatever Daria picked out anyway. 

“Oh, you know… Davies, my brother, Maria, Lara,” she rattled off a few more mutual friends before pausing and then rushing through the last few. “Higgs and Flint.”

Ophelia groaned and nearly fell back on her bed before she remembered she had a glass of wine in her hand.

“You know I can’t stand them,” Ophelia said pointedly. Daria turned to her, a grimace on her face.

“I wasn’t going to, but then Adrian asked if he could invite some friends and I said yes because I was distracted and by the time I realized who, it was too late,” she rushed. “But I can tell him now not to bring them.” Ophelia sighed and shook her head.

“It’s fine. But you know my brother’ll have something to say if he gets word,” she said. Daria rolled her eyes. 

“Please, I can handle Oliver,” Darias said, returning to Ophelia’s closet. Ophelia snorted. “I can!”

“I know,” she said, smiling.

“Aha! This!” Daria said, pulling a dress out. Ophelia’s eyes widened. It was something that Daria made her buy the last time they went shopping and she had intentionally hidden it at the back of her closet, though had at one point intended to return it. She now regretted forgetting about it.

“No, I refuse,” she said immediately. Daria just smirked as she walked over towards her.

“Oh no. You’re wearing it…”


	2. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Daria drags Ophelia out to a club where it seems old rivalries are put to rest. Ophelia then enjoys a moment with her twin before she leaves for the sanctuary.

**Surprises**

Ophelia grumbled all the way to the club, attempting to yank down the hem of the short, silver sequined dress that Daria forced her in. It was far too short, far too bright, far too low cut and just, far too everything. Paired with the heels that Daria had procured from somewhere that Ophelia was certain was not her closet, she felt as though tonight had disaster written all over it. She was destined to trip at some point and flash her knickers to the world.

It didn’t help that Daria had then sat her down and slathered on far too much makeup and then pulled her hair out of its braid, somehow managing to get it to curl. Ophelia had barely recognized herself in the mirror once her best friend was finished.

Ophelia felt like a fish out of water as they walked past the long line and Daria sauntered up to a large wizard at the front door with a clipboard.

“Table for Daria Pucey and Ophelia Wood,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes. Ophelia snorted, finding the action humorous and completely unnecessary with how the man was already ogling her. He winked and then turned his eyes to Ophelia, looking her up and down.

“You by chance related to Oliver Wood with Puddlemere United?” he asked. Ophelia frowned and opened her mouth as though she were about to ream him out, but Daria jumped in front of her first.

“They’re twins. Now, our table, please,” Daria said quickly. He motioned them in, then waved his wand, sending off word to someone inside that they had arrived.

Daria grabbed Ophelia’s hand and dragged her inside where they were immediately hit by the loudest music in possibly the world. Daria’s eyes lit up as they stood in there a moment, taking it in, though Ophelia was already starting to feel overwhelmed. Merlin, she was going to need something strong to drink if she intended to make it through the night. A tall man in expensive robes walked up to them, a smirk on his face.

“Daria, darling,” he drawled as he kissed each cheek. “You look ravishing.”

“Thank you, Joseph,” she cooed. She then looked back at Ophelia. “This is my best friend that I was telling you about.”

“Ophelia Wood, charmed,” he said, holding his hand out. Ophelia stared at it a moment before taking it, but before she could shake, he lifted it up and kissed the back of her hand. “Now, if you’ll follow me…”

He then turned and started walking off, Daria looping her arm through Ophelia’s as they made their way through the people towards a VIP balcony.

“We are going to have so much fun tonight…”

~~~

Ophelia found herself swaying to the music in her chair as she sipped at whatever drink Daria had made up for her and looked over the balcony at the dance floor below. Apparently, the table came with a number of bottles of alcohol and chasers. After a few drinks, Ophelia began relaxing and wondering why she had been so nervous about coming out tonight.

Ah, there it was.

Ophelia looked over as a tall, dark-haired man walked up, scowling, with another bloke with sandy blonde hair. Flint and Higgs. She wasn’t sure just why Flint had a problem with her, but figured it was guilty by association - she was Oliver Wood’s twin, after all. Which was wrong, in her mind. Not like it was her fault that he was an annoying prat when it came to quidditch. But apparently as she had shared a womb with Oliver, that made her _the enemy_ in Flint’s eyes.

As for Higgs, he just had the tendency to be a lech, which Ophelia found far more annoying than Flint’s inexplicable hatred of her throughout school. Though it was better now that they were both out and rarely saw each other save for the random run-in.

“Wood,” Flint said gruffly, nodding towards her. Higgs looked her up and down with an appreciative smile. Ophelia wished she had grabbed a cardigan before they left the house.

“Alright, you lot. This is Ophelia’s night. You want to stay, you behave,” Daria said, jumping up to her feet and striding to Flint. She stopped in front of him, her hands planted on her hips. “If it were up to me, you wouldn’t even be here. So be grateful I have a soft spot for my younger brother.”

“Fine,” Flint said, moving to sit in an open chair next to Adrian, though he glanced at Ophelia a few times with an odd look on his face. Ophelia couldn’t help but find it strange but pushed it aside. She wasn’t about to let one Marcus Flint ruin her night. 

“Well that wasn’t so bad,” Daria said, sitting back down next to Ophelia, who only rolled her eyes and finished her drink. Daria immediately grabbed it and started mixing up another.

“So, one month out in the wilderness. How will you survive?” Maria - one of Ophelia’s Hogwarts roommates - asked, her eyes wide. Ophelia shrugged.

“I’m looking forward to it, actually,” she said. “It’ll be nice to get away from everything for a bit.”

“You can’t be serious,” Roger Davies shouted out. “A month in the wilds of Romania? It’ll drive you mad.” Ophelia just smirked as she sipped her drink, though winced slightly.

“Merlin, how much alcohol did you put in this?” she shouted at Daria over the music. Her friend just laughed.

“You forget, Davies. Wood here grew up in the wilds of the Highlands. And with Oliver and Duncan as brothers,” Adrian said. “She’ll probably tame every dragon there by the end of the first day.”

“Just might,” Ophelia said lightly. The others laughed, though she couldn’t help but notice Flint still giving her an odd look. It was as though he had never really seen her before. Whatever, wasn’t her concern. After she gulped down about half of her drink and took a shot that Daria had forced upon everyone, she stood, pulling Daria up with her. “Let’s go dance!”

“Yes! This is the Ophelia I wanted to see tonight!” Daria shouted, already starting to dance around as they moved to the stairs. The other girls stood and followed them down to the dance floor.

A nice buzz was going through Ophelia’s body as she started moving in time with the music. She wasn’t much of a dancer usually, but whenever she drank a certain amount, she would take to the dance floor until someone would have to drag her off. She didn’t really care if she looked good or not at this point. 

Though she was once again regretting the heels.

“What am I going to do without you!” Daria wailed over the music.

“It’s one month,” Ophelia shouted back.

“I know… ONE MONTH!” Daria replied. “I’ll die!” Ophelia laughed loudly as she rolled her eyes at her best friend. She really was ridiculous, sometimes. But had been Ophelia’s best friend since first year and she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

In all honesty, they were a good mix. Daria got Ophelia to lighten up while Ophelia managed to talk Daria out of some of her more reckless schemes.

“Hopefully there’ll be some hot dragon tamers,” Lara suggested, her eyes dancing. 

“Not the point of going there,” Ophelia replied dryly.

“You haven’t had a boyfriend in forever, though!” Maria shouted. Ophelia rolled her eyes and turned, starting towards the bar, not caring to continue on that train of thought.

“I’m getting water!” she shouted, making sure that no one followed her. Once she got to the bar, she asked for a bottle of water, putting down the right amount of coins and then took to studying the crowd as she bopped to the music.

Everyone seemed to be having fun, which she supposed was good. And well, Ophelia supposed she was as well, though it wouldn’t be her first choice of what to do on a night out. Leaning against the bar, she caught her breath as she watched her friends dance around in a circle.

“There you are.” 

Ophelia glanced over, noticing Higgs sidle up to her, his arm resting against hers on the bartop. Ophelia frowned and scooted away from him, looking around for the bartender and her water.

“Come on, Wood,” Higgs said, caressing her arm. “You know, I’ve always found you rather fit… for a Hufflepuff, anyway.”

“Please, Higgs,” she replied, pulling her arm away from him. “I’m no interested.”

“You could be if you gave me a chance,” Higgs said, straightening up and turning to face her. Ophelia turned to face him, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she narrowed her eyes at him.

She might be a bit tipsy, but it would take all the alcohol in the world and then some to get her to consider Terrance Higgs.

“No, thanks,” she said pointedly. The bartender put the bottle of water down on the counter that she took and spun around, intending to storm off. Unfortunately, she rammed right into a solid chest, causing her nose to smart. She stepped back and looked up, seeing Flint glowering at Higgs as he reached out to keep her from toppling over in her heels.

“Leave her alone, Higgs,” he growled. Higgs narrowed his eyes at him.

“I don’t need your help,” Ophelia said, glaring up at him. Flint glanced down at her and then back over at Higgs, finally letting go of her.

“I got it,” Higgs said testily, striding off. Flint watched him go and then moved to sit on a stool in front of the bar. Ophelia looked over at Higgs’ retreating form and then at Flint.

“Why did you do that?” she asked. 

“Looked like you could use some help and I know how persistent Higgs can get,” he replied. “Especially when he’s been drinking.”

“But I thought you hated me,” Ophelia said, surprised that he’d help her out in any way or form. Flint stared at her a moment before shaking his head. 

“I never hated you - not really. I’ve been... curious about you, truthfully. But your blasted brother made it difficult to get close to you,” he said. “Always knew you were different…”

Ophelia’s eyes widened as she stared at him, stunned by his admission. Flint was now looking at the ground, scuffing his toe against the floor as his cheeks colored slightly under the flashing lights. All this time and he didn’t hate her? How was that possible? Though the more Ophelia thought about it, the more she realized that he had never actually done or said anything to her directly that was harmful. Sure, there sometimes frowns or glares. But by and far, he saved most of his insults for her brother.

“So, Romania for a month?” he asked, looking up at her. Ophelia shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. Perhaps she was far drunker than she thought.

“Ehm. Yes,” she said.

“Must be excited,” he said.

“Yea. I am,” Ophelia said, still too shocked by this interaction to speak in full sentences. 

“When you get back… you think perhaps we could get coffee or a pint or something,” he said. Ophelia’s eyes widened even more. Was Marcus Flint asking her on a date when she got back from Romania?

“Ehm… sure,” she replied, not even completely sure why’d she agree. Oh, Oliver was going to die when he found out. Wait, no. She could _not_ tell her brother about this. Flint nodded shortly. 

“Should probably get back to the table,” he said, pointing up to the balcony.

“Yes, of course…”

~~~

Ophelia wanted to kill Daria the next morning when she woke up to a splitting headache and dry mouth, her feet aching. Thankfully, she kept a stock of hangover potion in the bathroom, so was feeling better after a few sips. At least well enough to get on with everything she needed to do that day. Though she didn’t leave for a few more days yet, Ophelia decided to try and get most of her packing done today. 

After showering, Ophelia pulled out a large suitcase from under her bed and then walked over to her closet, pulling it open. She moved over to one side, going straight for her sturdy denims and comfortable flannels. It wouldn’t be frigid in Romania - not yet - but she would be spending most of her time outdoors, so would need clothing that would protect her.

Ophelia pulled out some things and then set them on the bed and began to fold them up before setting them in her suitcase.

She couldn’t help as her mind returned to last night and Flint’s odd request. That they hang out when she got back from Romania. Why would he ask her now of all times? Had he always been interested in her? Perhaps it had more to do with Daria’s makeover than it had to do with herself. Yes, that made more sense, she decided.

“Phillie?!” someone shouted. Ophelia sighed, wishing she had never given either of her brothers a key to her flat.

“Back here!” she shouted back. 

She heard heavy footsteps come down the hallway and then Oliver was standing in her doorway.

“Late night?” he asked, taking her in. Ophelia looked down at herself and back up at her brother. She didn’t think she looked particularly rough. “Saw the kitchen. You were drunk cooking again.” 

Ophelia groaned, not remembering that. Last time she had left out an entire casserole that had only been half baked and it congealed and was near impossible to clean. Oliver chuckled and stepped over, hugging her. 

“It’s no that bad. I can clean it up for you while you pack,” he offered. 

“Such a gem, Ollie. Tell me again why you’re single?” Ophelia asked, grinning up at her brother. 

“Probably because you and Duncan refuse to stop calling me Ollie,” he replied, already turning and walking back out of her room. Ophelia chuckled as she returned her attention to packing. 

While most people assumed Oliver had only one thing on his mind - quidditch - Ophelia knew differently. There was a softer side to him that only those close got to see. To everyone else, he was the serious keeper for Puddlemere United. But Ophelia knew how tiring it was for him. Having to constantly put on a cool attitude for the press and fans, going out to this event or that party, when more often than not he wanted to sit at home and read a good book. Or cook. He was actually a fairly good chef. Better than Ophelia at least.

“What did ye get up to last night!?” she shouted out towards the kitchen.

“Oh, ehm, hung out with George, Angelina, Alicia and Kates,” he called back. “Perce even came out for a bit with his girl.” 

“Audrey, yea?” Ophelia called back.

“That’s the one,” Oliver said. “He thinks he might ask her to marry him soon.” 

Ophelia nearly dropped the shirt she was folding. Percy Weasley getting married? She never thought she’d see the day. Especially before Oliver. Not that he was any rush to get down the aisle, just he had more luck with ladies.

“Think the whole family is about to get hitched,” Oliver said next. “Ron and Hermione have been together since the war. And well, Harry and Ginny have been together awhile as well. And George and Ang.” 

Ophelia shook her head, not quite understanding the rush. Percy and Audrey were only 24. George, Ron and Ginny even younger. Made no sense to her. 

“And here Mum can’t even get one of us down the aisle,” she quipped in return. 

“Oh, we both know Duncan can’t stay in a relationship to save his life,” Oliver said, walking back into the room. He walked over and started folding clothes, putting each item into the suitcase.

“What’s your excuse?” she asked playfully.

“Quidditch,” he said, grinning. Ophelia rolled her eyes. “And spend too much time looking out for you.”

“Don’t you dare blame me, Oliver Angus Wood,” Ophelia retorted, glaring at him mockingly. He chuckled.

“Not like you’re one to talk. How long’s it been since you were with what’s his name?” he asked.

“Robert and you know well enough his name. You did sock him,” she said. 

“Thought he deserved it. I didn’t know Duncan got his information wrong,” Oliver said. Ophelia huffed.

“Next time, promise to stay out of my relationships, will you?” she asked. “Or at least ask me first?”

“Deal,” Oliver said. “Nearly got suspended for that.” 

Ophelia chuckled as the two continued on in their work silently. They were often like this. Everyone thought it was because they had some cosmic bond as twins, but really it was just because they were so used to being around each other that they didn’t need to fill it constantly with talk.

“So, Phillie… promise you’ll be careful while you’re away,” Oliver finally said. “I mean… you can take care of yourself, but these are dragons… People get seriously hurt working with them.”

“I’ll be perfectly safe, Ollie,” she replied. “No need for you to worry your pretty head.”

“Can you blame me? Every time I turn around, you’re runnin’ off to work with some other dangerous creature,” he said. 

“Do not,” Ophelia shot back.

“Do too,” Oliver said. Ophelia stopped folding and scowling up at him. He met her scowl with one of his own that the two held for all about three seconds before starting to smile and laugh.

“I’ll be fine. I’m just there to learn what goes into runnin’ a reserve and if it’s feasible to reopen Hebrides,” she said. 

“Yea, but they reopen it and you’ll be first in line to work there,” Oliver countered. “And there’s no telling what can go wrong when you’re dealing with dragons.”

“Charlie Weasley has been doing it for a long time and he’s still alive and has all his limbs as far as I’m aware,” Ophelia retorted. Well, she didn’t exactly know that, but surely with as close as Oliver was to Percy and George, and Duncan to Charlie, she’d of heard if he lost an arm or a leg.

“True,” Oliver said. “And I do feel a bit better knowing he’ll be there.” Ophelia rolled her eyes again. “I know, I know. I haven’t owled him or anything. Though Duncan just might.” 

“Of course, he would,” Ophelia grumbled. 

“They were best mates in school,” Oliver countered. “Still keep in touch and everything.” 

“I know, but part of going on this trip is to get a break from you two,” she said. Oliver stopped and gripped his chest.

“You’ve hurt me. Deeply,” he wailed facetiously. Ophelia laughed hard.

“Och, get over yourself,” she said, shoving him slightly. 

“Won’t be the same with you gone,” Oliver said.

“It’s a month,” Ophelia replied.

“Aye, and I see you most days usually,” he countered. “A month is going to feel like forever.”

“Dare say you can survive a month without your annoying sister,” Ophelia said. 

“Annoying? Never,” Oliver quipped. Ophelia chuckled again.

“Shut it and keep folding or else I’ll never get packed,” she ordered.

“Aye, aye,” Oliver replied.

“And no cheek,” Ophelia said. 

“No cheek,” Oliver said. 

They continued folding for a bit longer before Ophelia put down a shirt in her suitcase and then turned to her brother, launching into a hug.

“I’m going ta miss ye, ye oaf!” she said. Oliver chuckled.

“Gonna miss ye too, ye wee pixie,” he replied. “Thank Merlin it’s only a month. Who else am I going ta tease?” Ophelia rolled her eyes and returned to packing.

“Perhaps Duncan…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feeling generous (read: I’ve had some wine) so thought I’d get to the Charlie part…


	3. To the Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Ophelia arrives in Romania and is happily surprised that Charlie Weasley is the one showing her around. Though, it seems to reignite an old school crush.

**To the Dragons**

Ophelia adjusted her knapsack as she made her way through the crowded and crazy Ministry of Magic in Bucharest. It was alive and full of people speaking in a language she didn’t understand, but it was wonderful. She had done her share of traveling around the world, but there was something about being a new place that had her buzzing with life and excitement.

Someone from the Sanctuary was meant to meet her here and help her get there, but they hadn’t exactly told her who it was. She couldn’t help as part of her hoped it was Charlie Weasley.

She, like many young girls at Hogwarts, had held a mild crush on the Weasley before he graduated. He had been stockier and shorter than the others and held a bit of a rugged handsomeness to him. She wondered how he had changed over the years. Since he moved to Romania, she hadn’t seen much of him and it had been a good five years or so since the last time she had seen him.

A flutter of something went through her stomach, but she quickly squashed it, reminding herself that she was here for work and work alone. Not to relive her Hogwarts crush.

She kept looking around the crowded atrium before looking down at her watch and wondering just how it was she was supposed to know who was here to retrieve her. She looked up again, just in time to see someone making their way towards her, a bright grin on his face.

Ophelia’s eyes widened as she took in the bright red hair, slightly curly and pulled back in a short, low ponytail. The broad chest and arms covered in large muscles. If this is what working with dragons did to a person, then Charlie Weasley had been doing very well, indeed.

 _“No. No. Ophelia Grace Wood. Work,”_ she scolded herself mentally.

“If it isn’t little Phillie Wood,” he said loudly as he approached her. Ophelia immediately blushed, not realizing that he would remember the annoying nickname her brothers had given her. Normally she hated it, but there was something about the way he said it. Wait. No. Stop it. Don’t think that way. “You’ve grown up.”

“I… yea…” she stuttered. She then shook her head and smiled at him. “I could say the same for you.” Charlie chuckled, a deep rumbling that Ophelia could feel even though they were a couple feet apart. 

“Suppose you’re tired and eager to get to the reserve,” he said. Ophelia nodded. “We’ll floo to the village nearby and then I can apparate us up there.” He motioned for her to follow him. “Need me to help with anything?” He looked back at the small knapsack on her back.

“Oh, I’m good,” she said quickly, sure that she was still blushing. Charlie nodded.

“How long’s it been?” he asked. 

“Christmas, I think… five years ago,” Ophelia said, remembering he had come to Duncan’s annual party during the holidays. She then blushed fiercely, remembering how drunk she had gotten that night. Charlie laughed.

“Didn’t you get caught under the mistletoe with someone?” he asked, winking at her. 

“I don’t remember,” she said abruptly. Charlie continued chuckling. 

“You sure about that?” he asked. “From what I recall, you threw a fit when you realized one of your brothers had jinxed it.” Ophelia rolled her eyes. 

She had been stuck underneath it with some Ravenclaw bloke that was a couple years ahead of her at Hogwarts and had refused to kiss him to get out of it.

“Don’t remind me,” she muttered, causing him to laugh loudly.

“Here we are. Just say The Green Dragon,” he said. “See you on the other side.” He then grabbed a handful of powder and disappeared. Taking a deep breath, Ophelia grabbed a handful of her own.

“You can do this,” she muttered to herself before hopping in the floo and shouting “The Green Dragon” as she tossed the powder.

Within seconds, she stumbled out of the floo in what looked like a large, busy tavern, Charlie standing nearby. Ophelia was grateful this wasn’t one of the times that she landed on her arse. Merlin, did he always have to be smiling?

“Welcome to Bran,” he said. “We’re in a small wizarding section of the village. The reserve is about a half hour drive from here, but as you know, we can get there faster.” He winked again. Ophelia nodded and followed him out of the tavern and stopped as she looked around the village. It was like stepping into a fairy tale. The streets were all cobblestone and it looked as though the buildings had been around since the 15th century or so. 

“It’s beautiful,” she said. 

“Wait until you see the reserve,” Charlie said. He held out his arm and Ophelia eagerly took it, ready to get to the reserve. She closed her eyes as she felt the odd tug of apparition. There was a pop and then suddenly it was far much quieter than the village. Ophelia opened her eyes and the sight nearly took her breath away. They were high up in the mountain, standing before a large sign that read something in letters she couldn’t understand. 

Ophelia turned and looked back down the mountainside, taking in the breathtaking landscape. She could see the village down the slope. It was far more beautiful than anything she had ever seen.

Charlie motioned her to follow him and they walked under the sign into what looked like a small village. 

“We’ve got most things you could need up here, though it’s easy to get down to the village if there’s something you need. That’s the Post where you can send out mail or get basic necessities that you need. Each cabin is equipped with its own kitchen, but there’s a mess hall where we all like to get together for meals. That’s the clinic if you find yourself injured or sick,” Charlie said, pointing at each building as they walked. “And there’s the main office.” They kept walking, now coming to a collection of quaint looking cabins. 

He stopped in front of one. 

“This is where you’ll be staying. I’m just over there,” he said, pointing down the way. “Reckon you could unpack and get comfy, then I’ll show you around a bit more before supper. Maybe see some of the dragons.” Ophelia nodded eagerly, not wanting to wait. 

“Thanks, Charlie,” she said. He flashed her another dazzling smile that had her stomach doing flip flops.

 _“Merlin, get your shit together,”_ she scolded herself.

“See you soon, Phillie,” he said. 

Ophelia turned and walked up onto the small porch of the cabin and then pushed open the door. Immediately, she fell in love with the space. While small, it was homey and the large windows allowed a large amount of light in. There was a modest kitchenette with a table and two chairs, then a large comfy bed. She saw a door that she assumed led to the bathroom.

Eager to get out to the dragons, Ophelia walked over and put her knapsack down, pulling out her suitcase and then enlarging it. With another wave of her wand, the suitcase opened and her clothes flew out into a wardrobe. She then pulled out a photo of her, Oliver and Duncan, placing it on a dresser and smiled down at it. The other photos she could put up later.

She then walked into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face before studying her face in the mirror. Despite the long day of traveling, she felt invigorated. Nodding to herself, she turned and walked out, making sure to grab her wand on her way outside. She then stopped and looked around before finding Charlie sitting on the porch of his own cabin, whittling something. 

“What’s this?” she called out, making her way towards him. He looked up at her and then back down at the piece of wood. Holding it out, she could see that it was taking the shape of a small dragon.

“Just a little something I picked up while here,” he said. Ophelia took the object and studied it closely. There was an insane amount of detail for something so small.

“It’s brilliant,” she said. “Romanian Longhorn?”

“You know your dragons,” he commented. Ophelia chuckled as she handed it back to him.

“Reckoned it’d be a good thing to know, coming here,” she said. “And well, I did do that internship with Newt Scamander.” Charlies’ eyes widened. “Certainly enjoyed telling me all about his work during World War I with Ironbellies. Suppose it was because I was a fellow Hufflepuff.”

“Really?” Charlie asked, looking impressed. Ophelia blushed again. She really was going to need to work on that.

“Not the same as actually working with them, but suppose that’s why I’m here,” she said, looking around at the landscape. “Speaking of which…”

“Eager to get started, are we?” Charlie asked, standing as he slid the figure and knife into his coat pocket. Ophelia nodded and grinned. “Well then, follow me.” 

He started leading her up a path that led into the forest surrounding the living area.

“How many dragons do you have now?” she asked, finding it suddenly rather easy to settle into work mode.

“At the moment, about 30, but it varies,” Charlie said. “We mostly try to rehabilitate and then release, though there are a handful that are permanent residents. They’re incapable of living in the wild either due to injury or they’ve been in captivity too long.”

“Mostly local breeds?” she asked. 

“Mostly, yes. Though we’ve got a fair amount that aren’t native to this area,” he said. “But it would be good to get Hebrides open again. Hopefully rebuild the native population there. Got a few Hebridean Blacks and Welsh Greens. And well, our resources are getting a bit strained as it is.”

“That’s certainly what I’m hoping. But haven’t been out to look at the structures yet,” she replied. “Hoping it’s not a mess.”

“Surely if anyone can get it worked out, you can,” Charlie said, smiling at her. 

“Gonna take more than me,” she replied. 

“Does take a village, as you can see,” he said with a chuckle.

They came up to a ridge and stopped, Ophelia’s eyes going up to the sky. Her breath left her as she saw a Norwegian Ridgeback glide through the air. She couldn’t believe that she was actually seeing a dragon with her own eyes.

“Gorgeous, aren’t they?” he asked softly from her side.

“It’s amazing,” she whispered, her eyes looking around the landscape. She then saw another dragon take flight, a roar filling the air. “Can we get closer?”

“Course,” Charlie said. Ophelia looked over at him, seeing an amused look on his face. “Most are free range, but we have enclosures and habitats.”

They continued down the path and Ophelia started seeing structures among the trees. 

“We’ve got a hatchery as well. Sometimes we come across abandoned eggs, though usually it’s because the parents have been killed,” Charlie said. Ophelia stopped, looking over at him. 

“Really?” she asked, worried but not completely surprised. This was one of the reasons they wanted to reopen Hebrides. If anything, to provide one more safe haven.

“Unfortunately, the black market dragon trade is still alive and well with nefarious types,” he said. “We do what we can but need more resources - both funds and bodies.” Ophelia nodded as they continued walking. 

“Hard to imagine anyone wanting to harm such majestic creatures,” she said, looking around the forest and enclosures. They were far spread out and seemed to be built into the surrounding nature.

“If only everyone out there was as empathetic as you,” Charlie said. “But you’re well aware of the many uses for dragons. Unfortunately, the money and lure of illegal trade is too big a pull for some.”

“Well, hopefully we can do something about that,” Ophelia said, a sense of purpose welling up in her.

“Hopefully, yes. But likely not tonight. Come on. The rest of the reserve should be waiting for us in the mess hall. Got a bit of a welcome party planned tonight,” Charlie said, stopping on the path. 

“There’s no need for that,” Ophelia exclaimed, her eyes wide. “You didn’t need to go through the trouble.” Charlie chuckled.

“Well, it’s been done. So best to not keep everyone waiting,” he said. Ophelia nodded and turned, gulping slightly as they started back towards the main part of the reserve.

Merlin, how was she going to handle all the attention?

~~~

Ophelia sat down with a bit of a thump at the table, eager to get a moment to herself and hopefully finally eat something. As soon as she and Charlie had walked into the large mess hall, someone had put a drink in her hand and it had been a long line of introductions.

There were roughly 50 or so workers on the reserve between the tamers, admin staff and others that worked in the kitchen, clinic or other areas. While it was small by village standards, it was still a lot of people to meet all at once and Ophelia worried it would take her ages to get all the names down. Some were locals though a good amount of the tamers were from all over the world. She supposed with so few dragon reserves still open, one had to be willing to travel far from home for work. 

Of course, this also got her thinking about the money that would be necessary to not only get Hebrides up and running but keeping it that way. Ophelia was sure the Ministry would be willing to divert some funding to them, but she would need to find some way for the reserve to generate a bit of its own income. There was no way they would get everything from the Ministry.

But now wasn’t the time to get caught up in those details, she decided, relaxing a bit. She was here to observe and learn. And by Merlin, finally get to see a dragon up close.

“Charlie give you the tour?” a woman with dark hair and bright blue eyes asked as she sat down across from Ophelia with her own plate and drink. Ophelia quickly tried to recall her name. Ah, yes. Adara.

“A bit. Though suppose we’ll get more into it tomorrow,” Ophelia said, taking a bite as her eyes moved around the full mess hall. She couldn’t but notice she was getting more than a few looks. Seemed everyone was curious about her.

Though the majority from the men were a bit more pointed, which had Ophelia squirming slightly.

“Not often we get new blood. Or women for that fact. It’ll wear off after some time,” Adara assured her.

“Thanks,” Ophelia said, blushing slightly.

Charlie then sat down in the chair next to her and began tucking into his food. She couldn’t help but notice his plate was piled with food. He must keep up his quidditch diet, Ophelia thought to herself. 

“How’s Oliver doing?” Charlie then asked, looking over at her. “Duncan doesn’t write as much as before so I never really know what’s going on.” Ophelia snorted slightly.

“You mean you don’t follow quidditch even up here?” she asked, not quite believing it. Adara was silently watching the exchange with avid interest. Charlie leaned towards her.

“I try the best I can, but not a lot of folks are as interested in the British and Irish League as I am,” he said. Ophelia rolled her eyes.

“Aye, well… Ollie’s been workin’ his way up. Witch Weekly is certainly obsessed with him. Probably would be regardless of how good he is. But he’s easily one of the top 10 keepers,” Ophelia said, feeling a bit proud of her brother’s accomplishments. 

He might be a prat at times, but he was her prat. And a damn good quidditch player.

“I imagine that’s only made his head bigger,” Charlie replied. 

“Surprisingly, no. Still doesn’t care so much about attention from the lasses. But every time he makes it in Quidditch Monthly, we hear about it for weeks on end,” Ophelia said.

“Who is Ollie, er, Oliver?” Adara asked, interrupting them. “You’re boyfriend?” Ophelia snorted as Charlie laughed loudly. He sat up in his chair and placed a large hand on Ophelia’s shoulder.

“Oliver is Ophelia’s twin brother - Oliver Wood. Keeper for Puddlemere United. We played on the Gryffindor team for a time before I left school. Her other brother Duncan is one of my best mates,” Charlie said. Ophelia could feel her face heating up slightly at the touch. “Our families have been friends for years.” 

“Ah, I see,” Adara said slowly, something odd in her expression, though Ophelia wasn’t so sure what it was. “But I assume there must be some handsome man back in London waiting for you.” 

Ophelia choked slightly on her drink, though she heard Charlie chuckled at her side. She mopped up her face a bit, noticing that both he and Adara were eagerly waiting for her answer.

“I… no, I mean…” 

“Ah, there is the lady of the hour!” 

All three looked over, seeing a tall, slightly scruffy man with longer blonde hair, though not as long as Charlie’s, walk over and sit down. He wasn’t nearly as broad but was solid. In fact, Ophelia noticed that all the tamers seemed to be solid muscle and sported tattoos and burn scars. Though in a way it made sense. You’d have to be a rather sturdy person to work with dragons day in and day out.

Glancing down at her slight figure, Ophelia hoped she could hold her own and carry her own weight when it came down to it.

“So, I take it you know Charlie,” the man said while grinning, his light blue eyes twinkling.

“Old family friends,” Adara offered. 

“Ah, so that’s it,” the man said. Ophelia struggled to remember what his name had been. He was in the middle of a long stretch of names that had been called out in rapid fire. “I’m Lazlo.”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” Ophelia said.

“No worries. I get it. Can be a bit overwhelming,” he said. “But I assure you, you’re not likely to forget it.” He winked at her. Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly as Adara chuckled. 

“Calm down, Lazlo,” she chided. “It’s her first night here.” Ophelia laughed weakly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Charlie was giving Lazlo a stern look despite the fact he was smiling. It was slightly terrifying and reminded her far too much of her brothers.

“Sure, I can handle my own. I did grow up with two brothers, you know. Sure, it’s no worse than that,” Ophelia found herself saying. All three tamers turned to look at her. She glanced at Charlie. “They’d understand if they met Duncan and Oliver.” Charlie started laughing.

“This is true,” he replied. “I recall you literally jinxing the trousers off Duncan once. We were sixth year, so that would have made you only about 12 or 13 at the time. Incredible aim. And still not sure how you got into the Gryffindor common room and managed to get the drop on him.”

“Oliver,” Ophelia said with a cheeky grin. “As for getting the drop on Duncan… I’ll never tell.”

“Really should have joined the Hufflepuff quidditch team,” Charlie said. Ophelia just shrugged.

“Thought about it, but really, my poor mother barely survived with Duncan and Oliver playing,” she said.

“Suppose I could understand…”

Ophelia quickly lost track of time as she and Charlie continued to catch up, though eventually Adara and Lazlo jumped in, asking the two of them various questions. After a few hours, she could feel the day of traveling and excitement catching up to her and Charlie dropped her off at her cabin.

After she had showered and changed into her pyjamas, Ophelia laid back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling, a bright grin on her face. 

This was going to be an amazing month. She could feel it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have met Charlie… let the fireworks begin... BTW I have put together THE best (in my mind) late 90s/early 2000s playlist (outside of 2-3 mid aughts songs) that I listen to when I write this. In case anyone cared... (yes, I was in high school during that time, so I kinda know...)


	4. Let's Get Down to Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Opehlia is ready to get started with work. Both with the dragons and with Charlie...

**Let’s Get Down to Business**

Ophelia woke up entirely too early the next morning, but she was far too excited to get to work to stay in bed another second longer. She quickly showered, braided her hair, and then dressed in sturdy clothing that would keep her warm and comfortable before pulling on her worn hiking boots. Seeing she still had a good 45 minutes before she was meant to be in the main office for that day’s assignment, she checked the small kitchenette and found the fixings for a small, but decent breakfast. 

Upon finishing that, she still had about 20 minutes, but decided to head over early anyway. She pulled on her trusty hiking jacket that was strong enough to ward off the chill of the Highlands without charmwork and took a final look in a mirror that hung on the wall.

“Here we go,” she whispered to herself excitedly. She then grabbed her wand and stuck in a special pocket inside her jacket and headed out to the main office where there would be a morning briefing. 

Ophelia was grateful for heading out early upon arriving at the main meeting room. It seemed a good third to half of the tamers and admin staff were already there. She stopped and looked around before Charlie waved her over.

“Saved you a seat,” he said, smiling up at her.

“Thanks,” she said, sitting next to him and turning to the two people who were in charge of keeping things running at the reserve - a married couple named Andrei and Elena Dascalu - at the front of the room.

“Sleep well?” he asked.

“Oh, like a babe,” Ophelia replied, looking over at him. “Suppose yesterday took more out of me than I thought.”

“Well, good thing you got plenty of rest because today is sure to give you a good workout,” he said, winking. Ophelia laughed softly and looked back to the front as Andrei shouted for everyone to quiet down.

She sat up at attention, listening closely as Andrei went through some housekeeping announcements that had them chuckling here and there. He was a generally likeable bloke, Ophelia found. Always smiling and jesting, though still got to the point and kept the meeting on track.

“As you all know, we are hosting Ophelia Wood from the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau at the British Ministry of Magic for a month. I expect you all to be kind and help her learn the ropes,” Andrei said, his gaze falling on Lazlo. “Behave.” 

“Not me you have to worry about, boss,” Lazlo called out boisterously. Andrei rolled his eyes and looked down at a clipboard.

“For today I’ve got you with Weasley,” Andrei said, looking up at Ophelia. “Figure he’s the best to keep showing you around and how things work around here. Though if you’ve got any questions or complaints, feel free to find myself or Elena.” 

“Of course, sir,” Ophelia replied.

“Please, Andrei is just fine,” he replied warmly. He then moved on down the list through a few other announcements before taking a few questions and such from the tamers. He then dismissed the meeting as he and Elena walked out, heading towards their offices. 

Ophelia stood and turned to Charlie, who was already grinning.

“You ready to get to work on some real dragons?” he asked. 

“Absolutely.”

~~~

Ophelia had to admit, she was enjoying getting her hands dirty - so to speak - far more than she did filing paperwork and writing reports. This was, after all, why she often volunteered for all the field work. 

But working with dragons was something far more fulfilling.

She and Charlie had spent the morning checking on a few habitats that needed repairing before moving on to looking in on some of the dragons that were under his care. While there some structures and holes that were closer together near the camp for the most injured dragons, many of the others were spread far and wide in the land owned by the sanctuary and they would have to apparate there, lest they spend all day walking.

Ophelia had stood in silent awe for about five minutes when Charlie took her to see one of his favorites - a Norwegian Ridgeback he affectionately called Norberta. The dragon stared at her curiously, before dipping its head down until it was eye level. While her first urge was to jump back, Ophelia remembered that sudden moves around dragons could end disastrously, so fought it off as she maintained eye contact. 

In the end, Norberta had allowed her to pet her snout before ambling off a few feet and then taking to the air. 

“That was brilliant,” Ophelia gushed after Charlie had apparated them back closer to the main camp, grinning from ear to ear. “The scales are a bit softer than I was expectin’.”

“Still rather rough. We have to use special syringes if we want to get through the skin to their veins,” Charlie said. “Though, I’ll need you to stay back a ways with the next one. At least at first. Colonel’s not so keen on newcomers.”

“Colonel?” Ophelia asked.

“Yea, he’s a bit older than we usually get. And very much likes to order others about,” Charlie explained with a smile. “He’s a Hebridean Black. Found him a few weeks ago with an injured leg and wing from poachers. Took nearly half of us just to get him inside the sanctuary. But he seems to be healing up nicely, if a bit slowly.” 

Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly as they turned off the main path and started down a smaller one through the trees.

“Prefers to be on his own for the most part, which is likely for the best. Hebrideans, they like their space. He’d probably start turf wars if he were out and about,” Charlie continued.

“Right… they usually need about 100 square miles, don’t they?” Ophelia asked. Charlie nodded. 

“Got a nice large space set aside for him when he’s healed up, but for now we have to keep him closer to the main camp so we can check on him daily,” Charlie said. He then came to a stop, putting his arm out and stopping Ophelia as well.

Her eyes moved to a cave nestled in an outcropping of rock. Just in the darkness, she could make out a pair of glowing, vivid purples eyes. A puff of smoke emitted from the cave entrance as a low growl sounded.

Ophelia stayed perfectly still. Even if he was injured, she was sure Colonel could still roast her from this distance. Or snatch her up in his jaws before she could run away.

“Hiya, Colonel,” Charlie said loudly, slowly making his way towards the cave opening as he slung his knapsack off one shoulder and then reached inside. “Think you could come out so I can check that wing and leg of yours?” 

Ophelia couldn’t help but hold her breath as Charlie pulled out a large, dead hare and held it out. He didn’t move at first, just waiting and watching. Finally, a large, pitch black head slowly edged out of the cave. Charlie slowly backed away, keeping the hare out of reach and coaxing the dragon from the cave.

“Holy shite,” Ophelia murmured as all of Colonel finally emerged, his long neck rising as the dragon stared down at Charlie with an almost annoyed look. It then shot down, snatching the hare from his hand. Charlie chuckled as he stepped closer and bent down to look at one of Colonel’s front legs. 

The dragon was covered in thick, black scales as dark as night, with large, bat-like wings. One flapped away from the body, though the other was tucked up at Colonel’s side. His long tail twitched from where it was coiled up on the ground around him.

As Charlie continued checking his leg, Colonel turned his brilliant violet eyes to Ophelia. She immediately wondered if she was standing too close and should slowly back away. But then she found herself getting a bit lost in the dragon’s eyes. Colonel huffed softly, smoke shooting from his snout, before lowering his head towards her. Ophelia was still a good several feet away, causing Colonel to take a step in her direction.

“Whoa there,” Charlie said, hopping out of the way before he got trampled. He then looked up, seeing Ophelia with a slightly nervous look on her face as she continued staring at the dragon.

“What do I do?” she asked, suddenly forgetting everything she had learned about Hebridean Blacks except that they were aggressive and territorial.

“I think he’s curious about you,” Charlie said. “Stay calm and let him check you out.” 

Ophelia nodded, her eyes still trained on Colonel’s eyes as the dragon neared her, though she couldn’t help but wish she had thought to pull out her wand before they had neared the cave in case she needed to make a quick getaway. Colonel was now inches from her and she could feel his intake of air as he sniffed her. 

“Doing grand, Phillie,” Charlie called out. 

Colonel then lowered his head and nudged her hand. Ophelia couldn’t help but smile as she cautiously reached out and placed her hand on the dragon’s snout, feeling the hard, rough skin. A low growl that sounded something like a purr rumbled through Colonel’s throat before he lifted his head and looked back at Charlie, shooting a soft hiss at him. Charlie grinned up at the dragon and then over at Ophelia. 

“I think he likes you,” he called out before returning to his work. Ophelia couldn’t help but chuckle as she looked back up at the massive creature, Colonel now back to studying her. 

Soon enough, Charlie had finished up and Colonel was retreating back into his cave. 

“I nearly can’t believe that,” Charlie said, a look of awe on his face as they walked away.

“What do ye mean?” Ophelia asked.

“Told you he was testy. To be honest, he hasn’t let anyone but me within about 20 feet of him without shooting fire and getting them to back up,” Charlie admitted. “And it took a good week or so before he’d let me close without having to stun him.” Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly. “He’s never warmed up to anyone like you.” 

“Perhaps… perhaps because I smell like home?” Ophelia offered. “Certainly not close to Hebrides, but surely any smell of Scotland might be soothing.” Charlie thought this over a moment or so.

“That would make sense,” he said. Ophelia looked back down the path towards Colonel’s lair.

“You think he’ll be well enough someday to fly back?” she asked. “If we open up Hebrides again?”

“Hopefully,” Charlie said. “Either way, I intend to do what I can to get Colonel back home where he belongs.” Ophelia looked up at him, smiling.

“Good.”

~~~

Ophelia found herself blushing slightly at dinner as she fidgeted in her chair in the mess hall, while Charlie told the small group of tamers sitting at their table about Ophelia’s interaction with Colonel. She hadn’t done anything that deserved any sort of praise and she was certain it had more to do with the fact that she smelled like Scotland than anything.

“Blighter nearly took my arm off when we first got him here,” one tamer - Andrew Carroll - said with a chuckle. “My hat’s off to you for not nearly gettin’ roasted or maimed on your first meetin’.”

“I honestly didn’t do anything but stand there,” Ophelia said. “Really I think it’s just because he smelt home on me.” 

“Really think we’ve got a brilliant tamer-in-the-making here,” Charlie said, smiling as he slapped Ophelia on the back. She snorted slightly as she glanced at him.

“I mean, I have spent some time studying this sort of thing,” she shot back. “Just been waitin’ on a chance to put it to practical use…”

“How’s it been working with Charlie here?” Lazlo asked. 

“Suppose it’s alright,” Ophelia said, smirking towards the Weasley. Charlie rolled his eyes as she chuckled and then turned back to Lazlo. “Nah, it’s been good. He’s been a very patient teacher.” 

“That so?” Lazlo asked, his eyebrows raising slightly. He smirked as he stood, though kept looking down at Ophelia. “Well, if you’re looking for a patient teacher, just wait until you’re working with me.” With a wink and chuckle, he turned and walked off with his plate, leaving a slightly red-faced Ophelia in his wake as the others chuckled uncomfortably.

“Lazlo is, well, bit of an acquired taste,” Charlie said tastefully.

“Fairly sure Duncan would have his baws for that,” Ophelia said, finally getting her cheeks under control. “Oliver too, now that I think of it.” 

“That’s right! Your brother’s the Puddlemere keeper,” exclaimed Andrew, now leaning towards her. Ophelia took a deep breath and plastered a polite smile on her face. She was used to this - the unending onslaught of questions about her famous brother.

“What is it you’d care to know?” she asked, keeping her voice even, though she noticed Charlie shift a bit in his chair next to her.

“Is it true…"

~~~

Ophelia looked up from the small table where she was writing a letter to Daria upon hearing the knock at her cabin door. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it wasn’t too late, but she still wasn’t sure who would be checking up on her. 

Standing, she walked over and opened the door, seeing Charlie standing there with a six-pack of beer and a warm smile.

“Thought perhaps we could celebrate your first day of work and not getting injured,” he said, holding it up. Ophelia chuckled as she stepped back and let him in.

“I’m no so sure I would call ‘not gettin’ injured’ a massive accomplishment,” she said lightly.

“You do realize we’ve been working with dragons all day, right?” Charlie asked as he sat the cans down on the table, a quizzical look on his face.

“Aye, but ye barely let me near any today,” Ophelia said, sitting down at the table and putting her letter on a stack of parchment that contained her first report that she intended to send back to the Ministry in the morning. Despite wanting to bring her owl Athena with her, Ophelia realized it would take a month just for the old dear to make it back to England.

Charlie held out a can to her and then took his own, opening as he turned and looked at a group of photos that Ophelia had managed to hang after dinner.

“Merlin… are these all yours?” he asked, pointing to a photo as he looked back at her. Ophelia stood and walked over, noticing that he was pointing to a photo of her and Oliver seated on her sofa, surrounded by her various pets. Ophelia was laughing as Oliver attempted to keep the Kneazle in his arms away from the one in Ophelia’s. 

They had been litter mates and for some reason couldn’t stop fighting, but then couldn’t stand to be separated at the same time. Ophelia had found them abandoned in an alley when they were but a few weeks old and pretty much raised them until they were about a year old.

“Aye, my bairns, as Mum calls ‘em,” she said. “That’s Walter. Lost his eye in an unfortunate toy broom incident with his previous owner. And then this is Madame - she thinks she’s queen of the house. Likely is. The rabbit is Herbet - not really sure how he lost his tail. Athena, my owl. Da keeps trying to get me to get a new one, but I just can’t fathom replacing her. She’s a good ol’ girl. Still gets the job done, though may take her a bit longer. Oh, and that’s Maude and Mindy, though they’re no longer with me.” She frowned slightly as she stared at the two kneazles.

“Ah, pass on, then?” Charlie asked softly. Ophelia glanced at him.

“Actually, my landlord found out just how many pets I had and demanded I get rid of some. So got my friend to take Maude and Mindy. Honestly, I hadn’t intended to keep them forever. Just wanted to get them in good shape and then hoped to find a good home for ‘em,” she said, a soft smile on her face. 

Charlie laughed as he shook his head and looked back at the photographs.

“Why am I not surprised that you’d turn your flat into a home for unwanted animals?” he asked. 

“Someone has to do it. I don’t mind bein’ that someone,” Ophelia said with a smile as she walked back to the table. 

“Didn’t you spend most of your time out on the castle grounds, collecting creatures?” Charlie said, moving to sit next to her. 

“Did not,” she scoffed. “‘Sides, how would ye know? Ye were in a different house and too busy playing quidditch or prefectin’.”

“Pretty sure that’s not a word,” Charlie quipped. “And I remember seeing you outdoors a lot whenever I’d head over to quidditch practice, usually going back and forth between some large book and whatever animal you had with you. And didn’t you attempt to sneak into the Forbidden Forest?”

“Ah, yes. A few times, actually… but the Hufflepuff prefects always caught me before I could get there,” she said with a sigh.

“Should’ve come asked me for help. I knew all the best ways there and back. Without getting caught,” Charlie said with a laugh.

“Och, like you’d help me. I was only 13 when you graduated,” she said.

“I would’ve,” Charlie declared. “Most definitely would have helped a fellow lover of animals and creatures. Though I didn’t realize at the time just how serious you were about magical creatures.” Ophelia just gave him a look. “Because I was too busy with Gryffindor, quidditch and prefectin’.”

“I knew it,” Ophelia said, grinning at him as she took a drink.

“Duncan talks about you a lot in his letters. He’s always talked a lot about you,” Charlie said. Ophelia paused, the can pressed against her lips as she stared at him, wondering why Duncan would talk about her so much.

“Likely complaining about all the animals,” she said with a grin after she swallowed her beer. Charlie nodded as he took his own drink, though Ophelia noticed the slightly flush across his tan and freckled face. 

What was this? Why on earth would Charlie Weasley be blushing with her?

“Thank Merlin he broke things off with Meredith though,” Charlie said. Ophelia snorted.

“Aye, she was a nightmare. Be glad ye were here in Romania for that. Drove me and Ollie barmy,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Merlin, outside of her being gorgeous, I’m no so sure what he saw in her. I wouldna ride her intae battle.” Charlie laughed loudly.

“Duncan always had the worst taste in women, I will say,” Charlie admitted. “You should have heard about all the pots of boiling water he got himself into while we were at school.”

“Oh, aye. I heard. I may have been in Hufflepuff and four years behind, but I certainly heard about some of them,” Ophelia replied. “How do ye think I had a grand allowance for a second and third year?” Charlie stared at her a moment and then widened his eyes.

“You blackmailed him,” he said, starting to grin slightly.

“Ehm… well, suppose I said should he no want me to be a clipe to Mum, I would need a bit of… motivation, so to speak,” Ophelia said. 

Loud, belly laughs erupted from Charlie as he leaned over slightly in his chair. 

“All this time…” he said, wheezing slightly in between laughs. “You sure you weren’t meant for Slytherin?” Ophelia just shrugged, a small feeling of pride flooding through her for making him laugh so hard. Though she wasn’t sure just why he found that story so entertaining.

But still, she couldn’t help but feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside with the way he was smiling at the moment. Or perhaps that was the beer.

“Had I known you were so entertaining, I would have taken more time to talk to you before,” Charlie said, wiping a lone tear that had slipped out of the corner of his eye. 

“Eh, no hard feelings. I was Duncan and Oliver’s annoying younger sister. Didna hurt my feelings so much,” Ophelia replied. Charlie just shook his head, still smiling as he took a drink. For a split second, Ophelia thought she saw something shift in his pale blue eyes.

But then it was gone, and she was sure it was the light playing tricks on her. Despite the fact they were currently enjoying each other’s company, there was no way Charlie Weasley saw her as anything more than Duncan and Oliver’s younger sister.

Surely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! Still working on this one but trying to finish up another story as well. But… drama is coming… (Imagine me saying that as Jon Snow says, “Winta is comin’.”
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	5. Crushes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Adara, another dragon tamer, gives Ophelia a warning about Charlie, which confuses Ophelia as she struggles to deny the fact that she does, indeed, fancy Charlie.

**Crushes**

Ophelia spoke soothingly to the Antipodean Opaleye as she ran her hand up and down its snout, distracting the creature from Charlie, who was working to get a rather large splinter out from between its front claws.

“Such a braw dragon, ye are, Kaiwhare,” she crooned, the young dragon’s glittering eyes fixed on her. It then leaned its forehead against her chest, pushing against her slightly and causing her to chuckle as she stumbled back a bit. “I swear, we’re nearly done.”

Looking over towards Charlie, she raised her eyebrows at him. He glanced up and smiled as he nodded, before returning to his work.

“Just about got it… Keep distracting him,” he said.

“Perhaps if Uncle Charlie is decent, he’ll remember to bring ye some nice fish or a bit fat sheep next time,” Ophelia said, looking back into the dragon’s eyes. It snorted softly and moved his head up and down, almost as though agreeing with her. She rubbed between his eyes again.

“Oh, he eats well enough,” Charlie called out.

“And I’m sure ye don’t spoil him in the slightest,” Ophelia replied. Charlie chuckled.

“May want to step back,” he shouted out in warning. “In three… two… one.”

Ophelia hopped back in time to miss getting singed as Charlie yanked out the splinter and Kaiwhare gave a yelp, a small jet of bright red fire leaving his snout. The dragon turned its head as Charlie walked up to Ophelia’s, tossing a thin stick about seven inches long in the air. 

“No wonder you were in pain,” he said, looking up at the dragon. Kaiwhare snorted again and leaned down to sniff the stick before turning away. “Wouldn’t much like it either.”

Both Ophelia and Charlie backed away, allowing the creature a wide berth as it started across the clearing and then took off into flight.

“I’m surprised he’s so docile. The others too,” Ophelia commented.

“Trust me. The wild ones, you don’t want to get that close to. Takes a team of us to stun one into submission so we can work on them when they’re injured,” Charlie replied. “Kaiwhare, the others we’ve been working on, they’ve been here awhile and can’t really make it in the wild. They’re used to us.” Ophelia looked over at him, smiling.

“So, you’ve been takin’ it easy on me?” she asked. He chuckled in reply.

“Easing you into it, is more like it,” he said. “But you’ve been doing well. Really well in fact. Could probably start you with some of the wild ones, I think. Really got a knack to be a dragon handler if you want to switch over full time.” Ophelia looked away, blushing.

“Ye flatter too much, Charlie Weasley,” she said, feeling an odd stir of butterflies in her stomach.

“Nah, you just can’t take a compliment, Ophelia Wood,” he quipped. “Reckoned you’d be good from what Duncan’s said.” Ophelia looked over at him confused.

“Since when has Duncan ever said something about me that wasn’t complainin’?” she joked. He ran his hand up the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face.

“I mentioned he talks about you a lot. You and Oliver. And it’s almost always something he’s proud of,” Charlie said. Ophelia couldn’t help as her eyes widened at the admission. “You didn’t hear it from me, but yea, he is right proud of the both of you. Pretty sure I’ve followed your entire career from his letters.”

Ophelia was sure her blush deepened. She had always thought Duncan lived to annoy and tease her. Or protecting her. It was odd to hear that he had actually been bragging about her to his friends.

“Ah, right. Did Oliver really sock your ex-boyfriend?” Charlie then asked. Ophelia rolled her eyes, sighing heavily.

“Aye. Did Duncan then tell ye how he got the whole thing wrong? Thought the poor lad broke my heart when it was the other way around. Not sure how he made it as an auror if he couldn’t get that right,” she grumbled. Charlie chuckled.

“So, you’ve become a heartbreaker, is it?” he asked.

“No! Just… there was no… fire,” she said dumbly, suddenly becoming all too aware of what they were talking about. She spun on her heels and started walking towards the edge of the clearing, anxious to get away. She then stopped realizing that Charlie wasn’t following her and she had no idea what it was they were meant to do next. Turning, she looked back at him, finding that he had been watching her with that odd look in his eye again. He then shook his head and grinned, jogging to catch up to her. 

“I’m sure he’ll live,” Charlie said. Ophelia huffed and then chuckled.

“Ah, so I’m no worth getting broken up over, is it?” she jested in return, finding it odd how easily she could joke with him while she was still feeling a bit embarrassed at the topic.

“I’d say you’re plenty worth getting broken up over. Just he wasn’t the right one,” Charlie replied, though he kept his eyes trained ahead, red starting to creep up his neck.

Ophelia turned her gaze forward, her heart suddenly racing slightly. 

“Suppose that makes sense,” she said. The two fell into awkward silence, neither sure where to go from there. Ophelia was desperately searching her mind for what to say next. 

Thankfully, a spectral fox appeared and bounded towards them.

“Horntail eggs about to hatch. Could use some help,” Adara’s voice said from the creature. 

Ophelia’s eyes widened as she started grinning, all thoughts of the awkward conversation flying from her mind. She turned to Charlie, who was grinning as well.

“You want to help hatch some dragons?” he asked, holding his hand out.

“Definitely,” she replied, grabbing hold as he pulled his wand out. She couldn’t help the jolt of electricity that flew through her, but before she had time to think about it, they had disappeared.

~~~

Ophelia stood away from the grouping of three eggs, long ago shedding her jacket and rolling up her sleeves. The hatchery was rather warm, considering the eggs needed to be heated up in order to hatch.

There were rows of small areas sectioned off, though only a few contained eggs. They were found abandoned, the parents killed, or sometimes they were unable to look after them. Either way, it was a rare occurrence that anyone got to assist with or even watch a hatching, as Charlie explained to her.

Ophelia was beyond excited that she was getting to witness this.

Charlie and Adara stood on either side of the eggs, their wands pointed at them as flames shot out. 

“Think you could help?” Charlie asked, looking up at her, his hair already curling and sticking to his neck and face from the sweat. She nodded eagerly and stepped up, pointing her wand. 

“Incendio,” she said, watching as a jet of flames shot from the end of her wand and poured over the three eggs that looked as though they were made from grey stone. 

After about five minutes, the one closest to her started moving around. She quickly stopped the charm, watching as a small hole appeared and then suddenly, a small head appeared. Charlie and Adara stopped as well, all three of them watching as the first small dragon popped out of the egg, coughing smoke as it tumbled in the hay and then looked up at Ophelia.

She bent down and slowly put out her hand. The dragon inched towards her, sniffing at her hand before butting it with its head, still wobbly on its feet. Ophelia looked up at Charlie, grinning as tears inexplicably filled her eyes.

“It's bonny,” she breathed, before looking down at the small thing. Slowly, she eased forward, her hand still out. Though it was just born, she knew the dragon could still give a nasty bite. The Horntail sniffed at her again and then rubbed its head against her open palm. “Hello there, wee’un.”

“Think you can pick it up,” Charlie said. “Though we try not to hold them too much. Got a female Horntail that’ll we’ll introduce them to in a few days so we don’t want them too familiar with captivity.”

Ophelia nodded as she tucked her wand in her pocket and then gently reached down and pulled it into her arms. The dragon didn’t resist, settling itself.

“They’re adorable,” she said.

“And that’s why so many people try to buy dragon eggs on the black market,” Adara said dryly.

“Ah, looks like the other two are ready,” Charlie said.

Ophelia looked up and watched as the last two eggs hatched, the small dragons looking around as though they were lost as to where they were. Ophelia placed her dragon down next to them and the three began sniffing and nipping at each other.

“I could watch them all day,” she said, her eyes trained on them.

“So could this one,” Adara said. Ophelia looked up, seeing Charlie gazing down at them with a soft smile on his face. She chuckled and straightened up.

“I’ll go get the bottles,” Charlie said, walking off. Ophelia watched him go for a moment before turning back to the baby dragons. 

It truly was a beautiful sight.

Adara stepped to her side and then cleared her throat.

“So… I know you and Charlie have history,” she started. Ophelia looked over at her, unsure of where the tamer was going with this. Adara fidgeted slightly before turning and meeting Ophelia’s eyes. “I just thought, well, I’d want someone to tell me.”

“Tell me what?” Ophelia asked, her brow furrowed. Adara glanced off in the direction that Charlie had walked off in and then back at Ophelia.

“Watch yourself with Charlie,” she said, lowering her voice. “I mean, he’s a good bloke and all, but… he doesn’t do serious. Ever. Wouldn’t want you to get hurt. You seem like a lovely person and all.” 

Ophelia’s eyebrows rose as the heat rushed to her cheeks.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said immediately. “We’re just friends.” Adara chuckled.

“Oh, Ophelia. I can see it a mile away. You’re smitten with him,” she said.

“No,” Ophelia said. “He’s my older brother’s best mate. That’s all. Like you said. We’ve got history. Grew up around each other.” Adara chuckled again.

“I’ve seen it before. We get loads of girls here for short-term stays. Internships. Apprenticeships and the like. He always goes for them. It’s hot and heavy for however long they’re here and then… it’s over,” Adara said. “They leave. He stays. Sure some try to keep it going, but Charlie’s not that type. He’s never long term. The only long-term relationship he cares about is the one he has with dragons.” 

Ophelia gulped, her mind racing. Was this all some sort of act or ploy? Had Charlie been reeling her in for a short-lived romance and then planned to dump her as soon as she left? He didn’t seem the sort, but really, how much did she really know about him? She had barely seen or spoken to him since she was 13.

All she really knew was what he heard from Duncan and Oliver. But how much of that could she really trust?

“Got it!” Charlie shouted, walking back with three large bottles full of a reddish liquid, a bright grin on his face.

“Thanks, though I assure ye... nothing’s going on,” Ophelia said quietly, looking back at Adara. The tamer only gave her a sad smile before walking over to Charlie and taking one of the bottles. 

Charlie then held one out to Ophelia.

“Ready for the first feeding?” he asked. She nodded, a tight smile on her face as what Adara said whirled through her head.

“Course.” 

~~~

Ophelia paced around her cabin that night after dinner. She was honestly shocked she made it through without some sort of odd look on her face, but she had. 

Everything that Adara had said to her played over and over in her mind. She then stopped and scoffed loudly.

“There’s no way he’s interested in me,” Ophelia said aloud to the empty room. She then thought back to the past few days she had been working with him. The odd looks. The way he got embarrassed about certain things. 

He had been flirting with her, hadn’t he?

For a moment, she looked towards the fireplace, tempted to floo Daria or Oliver. She then pushed that aside. She was here for work and work only. Not to have some dailliance with albeit handsome, but otherwise afraid-of-commitment dragon tamer. Besides, she was sure that the fact he was her older brothers’ friend put him off limits anyway.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard Daria screeching at her that she was making a mistake. To live a little and have fun.

“I don’t even like hi-” 

Ophelia stopped speaking as the realization slammed into her like the Hogwarts Express. Suddenly, it didn’t matter so much how he felt about her.

She did like Charlie. No, she fancied Charlie. 

Really, it shouldn’t have been that big a realization. She _had_ had a small crush on him at school. And always thought him fit afterwards. Part of the reason she had been so embarrassed about the mistletoe incident at the party was because she had at first thought it was him until she turned and saw who it really was. Had been following him around for most of it. And then Charlie had been the one to find them, though he had tried to discreetly hide the fact they were stuck there until they kissed when a drunken Oliver had shouted it out for the whole room to hear.

But there was no denying it now. She, Ophelia Wood, had a crush on Charlie Weasley, her brother’s best friend from school. Who was a bit of a player, apparently. And she most certainly wasn’t. No, she never did casual. Wasn’t even sure where to start with it. The few relationships she had had in her life had never been shorter than a year.

“Bugger,” she said softly. 

How was she supposed to deal with this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I didn’t mean to wait so long to post the next chapter, but I haven’t gotten tons of writing done lately. And sorry this one is so short... May post another chapter today just because this one is so short – but hey, at least it’s got some drama in it. ^_^
> 
> Thanks for reading and following! Hopefully will get the next chapter posted soon. Still working on writing chapter 12.


	6. Getting Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> As Ophelia continues to learn the ropes of running a dragon sanctuary, she finds herself quite possibly on a date with Charlie.

**Getting Closer**   
  


Ophelia couldn’t help but rub her eyes and then look down at the rows of numbers written in tiny, but neat handwriting. Her vision swam slightly as Elena chuckled at her side. 

“This is really how much you spend in a month?” Ophelia asked. 

She had been working with Elena and Andrei in the main office for three days now, trying to learn more of the administrative side of the sanctuary, but it was proving daunting in a completely new way. While she picked up things quickly - just as quickly as she had when working out in the field - it was still a lot of things to remember. 

Not to mention eye-opening. Merlin, where were they going to get all the funding to run Hebrides? 

“As you can see, it differs month to month, depending on how many dragons we’re taking care of and what sorts of injuries they have,” Elena explained. “But yea, roughly that’s how much.” 

“How on earth do you pay for everything?” Ophelia asked, looking over to another book that contained all of the sanctuary’s banking information. She reached over and picked it up, dropping it down in front of her. 

“We get funds from the Romanian government as well as the European magical union. We generate some funds ourselves as well,” Elena said. “And private donations. Many people wish to donate to save dragons. And every year we do a big donation drive where we get most of our funding for the year. Some prefer one large lump-sum donation, while others sign up for a smaller one that is deducted from their accounts every month.” 

“Hmm,” Ophelia replied, looking over the books. It was something to keep in mind. They could potentially do a drive to raise some of the needed funds to renovate and open the reserve and then continue with a yearly event that would raise a set amount they would need for the rest of the year. 

It wouldn’t take her too long - hopefully - to work up the numbers. Or well, she didn’t think it would. But at the same time, part of her grimaced at the idea of a fundraiser and asking people for money. Or putting on some fancy event. Perhaps she would get Daria to help. Being pureblood she was always going off to some charity event or another. 

“Oh dear, you have that look in your eye,” Elena said. Ophelia looked over at her, eyes wide and cheeks slightly pink. 

“What look?” she asked. 

“The look that says you’ve just now realized how big a job this is and you’re regretting it,” Elena said with a chuckle. 

“Oh, no. Absolutely not regretting anything,” Ophelia said quickly. She glanced back down at the books. “It’s just… a bit overwhelming. I knew it’d be a lot of work to get a dragon sanctuary up and running. Just… letting it settle in, I suppose.” 

“Well, it is possible,” Elena said. “But you have to start small and build up.” She patted Ophelia’s hand and then stood, walking over to a large map up on the wall. Ophelia stood and followed her. “You see this?” She pointed to a faint blue outline that marked off a smaller area. “This was our original boundaries when we started. All the land around us was privately owned. But year by year, we gained more dragons. And the Romanian Ministry for Magic bought more land for us. And slowly we grew into what we are today.” Elena turned to Ophelia. “It seems like much, yes. But you cannot do it all overnight. Give it time. Take it step by step.” 

Ophelia looked up at the map, taking in the various markings and the large size of the reserve now compared to what it had been. Elena was right. She didn’t need to get ahead of herself. In fact, a five- or ten-year plan to gradually build up Hebrides might potentially go over better with the Ministry. 

“Aye, ye’re right,” Ophelia said, looking back at Elena with a smile. She then looked up at the map, a deeper sense of purpose filling her as all sorts of idea began flying around in her mind. She needed to start plotting out plans and such tonight after she wrote out her daily report. 

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” 

Ophelia froze slightly, recognizing Charlie’s voice. She hadn’t exactly been avoiding him since the day Adara warned her in the hatchery, but she hadn’t gone out of her way to find him either. Especially when every moment they were alone, her tongue threatened to go rogue and tell him that she fancied him. 

“We were just finishing up some things,” Elena said. She winked at Ophelia and walked out of the main office into the smaller one she had. Gulping, she turned to Charlie, offering a smile and hoping it looked normal and not like a grimace. 

“Been a bit quiet not having you out with me,” Charlie said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Been enjoying the office?” 

“It’s… important to learn,” Ophelia said diplomatically. Charlie nodded and looked to the floor, suddenly seeming a bit nervous about something. 

Oh, Merlin. Did he know? He had to know. But how? It wasn’t like Ophelia went shouting from the rooftops that she fancied Charlie. Adara had to have said something. But would she? Ophelia wasn’t exactly sure if she would - she barely knew the woman. But surely someone who went out of her way to warn Ophelia about Charlie wouldn’t snitch on her, would she? 

Ophelia was getting slightly lightheaded with the rapid way her thoughts were shifting. 

Charlie finally looked up, giving her a bit of a shy smile. 

“I was wondering if you wanted to go down to Bran tonight with me? Been working rather hard the last few days and thought you could use a night out,” he said. 

Relief flooded through Ophelia. He didn’t know. 

“Sure, sounds lovely,” she said, smiling more genuinely. Charlie grinned. 

“Grand. I’ll get you from your cabin... say around 7:30?” he said. Ophelia nodded. 

“I’ll see you then,” she replied. 

“Yea, see you then,” he said. Charlie then turned and walked out, though not before glancing back at her a few times. 

Ophelia chuckled to herself, at her ridiculousness. She had been worried that Charlie had found out about her crush and was about to let her down or something. So childish. Turning back to the desk where she had been working, Ophelia walked over and sat back down, picking up a quill and looking over at a stack of receipts that Elena had given her to record in the expenses book. She began humming softly to herself. 

It was about that moment that Ophelia put everything together. 

She dropped the quill as she looked up, her humming stopping as her eyes widened. Charlie had been nervous about asking her to go into the village with him that night.

Was this a date?

~~~

Ophelia flew into her cabin, making straight for the fireplace. She barely spared herself a breath before grabbing a fistful of powder and shouting Daria’s name several times. She then paced back and forth a bit, waiting for her to respond. 

“Seriously, what’s so important that you had to shout at me,” Daria said, her face finally appearing in the embers of the fireplace. 

Ophelia dropped to her knees, looking down at her best friend. 

“I need help. Immediately,” she said, her face a bit stricken. “I need to know if I’m about to go on a date.” Daria laughed loudly. 

“Darling, if you can’t figure that out on your own, then you truly are hopeless,” she replied. 

“I’m serious!” Ophelia groaned. She then took a deep breath and started at the beginning, telling Daria about all her interactions with Charlie since she arrived. She hadn’t really thought much about any of it until Adara’s talk, but now she was second-guessing everything. 

Was Charlie interested in her? Were they going on a date tonight? How did she feel about all of this? What’s more, what was she going to do? She couldn’t very well cancel, could she? 

“Okay, first of all… take a deep breath and relax,” Daria said soothingly. Ophelia did so. “Secondly, put on your cutest outfit, go have dinner and a few drinks with a handsome catch of a man and don’t worry about a goddamn thing.” 

“Ye can’t expect me to do that,” Ophelia balked. 

“Yes, I can. Is it date? Is it not a date? Is it casual? What’s that matter? Just go out and have a good time,” Daria said. “Don’t let anything Ada or whatever her name is said get to you.” 

“Adara,” Ophelia replied. 

“Right. Really, Ophelia. Just go out with an open mind and have fun. You’re allowed to do that even though you’re there for work,” Daria said sensibly. “And for Merlin’s sake, do not get in your own way. Stop worrying about whether it’s date and relax.” 

Ophelia took a deep breath and slowly let it out. 

“Aye, ye’re right. It’s just a night out. For fun,” Ophelia said, feeling much better. This is why she needed to floo call Daria. She could always talk her down from one of her anxiety fits. Or Oliver, but this didn’t seem like an Oliver conversation. 

“Now, go get ready and tell me all about it tomorrow,” Daria said grinning. 

“I will. Thanks, Daria,” Ophelia said. 

“Anytime, babes,” Daria said. 

Ophelia rose to her feet and walked over to her wardrobe, pulling it open. 

“Now… what to wear…” 

~~~

Ophelia was much more relaxed by the time Charlie knocked on her door, no longer convinced this was a date or that Charlie was playing any sort of game on her. Though the look on his face when she opened the door had her back to nervous a bit. 

She glanced down, taking in her soft, cream sweater - it was the nicest thing she brought - that slid off one shoulder, worried she had gotten something on it, then back up at him. She had to admit, the way he was smiling at her had her stomach a bit aflutter. She had pulled her hair out of her braid, leaving it down in soft waves and then put on a bit of makeup. She was actually feeling rather well about how she looked and his expression only made her feel better about it. 

“You clean up well, Phillie,” he said appreciatively. 

“Same to you,” she said with a laugh as she turned to get her coat and purse. 

And really, he had. Though Charlie was in denims, they were obviously a nicer pair and he had put on a dark blue button-up underneath his coat. His hair was pulled back, but it looked as though he had taken the time to fix it a bit after a full day of work. 

And anytime she stepped close to him, she could smell his aftershave, which was a comforting pine aroma. 

“So where are we going?” she asked after she had pulled on her coat and turned back to him. 

“There’s not a lot of options in terms of fancy places, but I didn’t really think you were the fancy restaurant sort,” he said. 

“Aye, not really,” she said. 

“Perfect. I know a good place,” he said, holding his arm out to her. Ophelia took hold, stepping closer to him. “Here we go.” 

She closed her eyes and soon enough, she could hear the sounds of life around them. Opening her eyes, she saw they were in an alley off a busy street. 

“We’re in the muggle section of town, so have to be a bit careful,” Charlie said, putting his wand away, though he kept his arm tucked around hers as he smiled and started leading her out to the street. 

“I really want to come here during the day and go exploring,” Ophelia said, looking around the quaint street. 

“It is something,” Charlie said, looking down at her as they walked. “I can bring you one day, if you like. Show you around.” 

“I’d like that. And Merlin knows my brothers’ll be spittin’ mad if I don’t bring them presents,” Ophelia said with a roll of her eyes. 

“I’m certain I can help you there as well,” Charlie said. “Duncan is partial to the local liquor. Oliver’ll probably like it too.” 

“Well, that’s easy enough, then,” Ophelia said, noticing that Charlie was leading her to a small restaurant down another, quieter street. 

“Now, this is my favorite place to go,” Charlie explained. “It’s out of the way and they always have a table for me.” 

“You come here a lot?” Ophelia asked. 

“Often enough.” 

“Charlie!” 

Ophelia came to a stop as they walked in and an older woman rushed up to them, taking Charlie’s face in her hands and then kissing his cheek. 

“It’s been too long!” the woman exclaimed in accented English. 

“Apologies, Maria,” he said warmly. He looked over at Ophelia. “This is my friend Ophelia.” Maria looked at her with a smile and then pulled her into a warm hug. 

“So nice to meet Charlie’s friends. Now! Come! I have your favorite table ready and soon you shall have food!” Maria declared, turning and leading them to a table in front of a window that looked out at the street. 

“I like to come here at the weekend and people watch,” Charlie said as they sat down and Maria rushed off, not bothering with menus. Ophelia pulled off her coat, looking around. 

Though the restaurant was small, it was bustling and a bit noisy, though not too much so. All sorts of people were there, laughing and talking loudly as they ate and drank. It had a homey quality to it and Ophelia fell in love with it immediately. 

“So… what are we eating?” she asked, turning to look back at him, the butterflies starting up again as he smiled at her. 

“Thought you might want a taste of something more traditional,” he said. “Maria’s the best cook in town.” 

“I look forward to it then,” she replied, eager to taste something truly Romanian. While there had been some dishes at the sanctuary, with the staff being from all over the world, the dishes varied. 

“How’s it been in the office?” Charlie asked. 

“Not nearly as fun as being out with the dragons, but it’s necessary,” she said. “I’m eager to get back out, to be honest. How’s Colonel doing?” 

“Better,” Charlie said. “Misses you, though.” Ophelia snorted. 

“Did he tell ye that?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. 

“In so many words,” Charlie replied.

“It’s true then… ye do speak dragon,” Ophelia said, finding it oddly comfortable to talk to him despite her nerves earlier.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he said with a wink. “Reckon if you ask nicely, I _might_ be willing to teach you. Maybe…”

“Then I’ll be sure to ask very, very nicely,” Ophelia quipped in return, utterly surprising herself. She never thought herself all that much of a flirt. Perhaps Daria was finally rubbing off on her.

Before Charlie could reply, though, Maria bustled up to the table with two large plates full of hot food. She put them both down and smiled in satisfaction.

“Just the way you like it, Charlie,” she said. She then turned and walked off, shouting something to another table in Romanian.

“What is this?” Ophelia asked, her mouth beginning to water as she reached for her fork and knife. 

“Moldavian Stew,” Charlie replied. “And really, no one does it like Maria.”

“Ehm… doesn’t look much like any stew I know,” Ophelia said, stabbing a hunk of meat and then popping in her mouth. Immediately her eyes closed as she moaned slightly. “Och, but it’s heavenly.”

“Knew you’d like it,” Charlie said.

The conversation flowed smoothly as they ate, though Ophelia didn’t think she could possibly eat everything on her plate. Somehow she managed to finish it and then nearly complained when Maria brought out dessert – a type of fried cheese donut smothered in sweet cream and jam – until she had the first bite. Somehow she managed to finish that as well. 

Soon enough, she and Charlie were sitting with rather full bellies and glasses of a sweet liquor that Ophelia made a note to remember the name of so she could bring some back to London.

“I don’t think I can eat again for a week,” Ophelia said, shifting in her chair. She was so full it was borderline uncomfortable.

“But you enjoyed it, didn’t you?” Charlie asked, seeming a bit nervous.

“Did you not hear me moanin’ throughout the whole thing?” Ophelia asked with a laugh, though her cheeks turned a slight red when she realized just what she had said. Charlie chuckled, though he glanced away, and she saw a bit of red creep up his neck. “It was amazing. Truly.”

“I’ll have to bring you back then,” Charlie said, seeming relieved.

“Definitely want to try more of Maria’s cooking,” Ophelia said. “I’d ask for recipes if I worth anything in the kitchen.”

“You don’t cook?” he asked, seeming surprised.

“Oh, I cook. Just not that well. Honestly, Ollie’s the one who’s a secret chef,” Ophelia replied easily. “He comes over a few nights a week and cooks for the both of us.”

“Figured he’d be too worn out from training,” Charlie said.

“No, if anything he’s got too much energy,” Ophelia said. “Always up at the crack of dawn to work out, even if there’s no match or training.”

“Still the same Oliver, it seems,” Charlie said. Ophelia nodded.

“And Duncan would still be in bed at supper if ye’d let him,” she added. “He’s lucky he’s good at his job with the sheer amount of times he’s late.”

“Reckon he couldn’t be early to save his life,” Charlie said. “I had to drag him to the pitch for early morning practices more often than not. Though always seemed to wake up as soon as he got in the air.” Ophelia chuckled.

“Aye, that’s Duncan for ye,” she said.

“And what about you?” Charlie asked.

“Oh, suppose I’m somewhere in between. I can get up when I need to, but I do enjoy a good lie-in when I get it,” she said lightly. “Not to the extent of Duncan, mind you. That dobber would likely sleep through bloody World War III, as my nan says.”

At the mention of war, the mood shifted and Ophelia immediately regretted it. Charlie’s smile faded slightly as he looked down at the table. Fucking hell, why did she have to go and do that?

“I didn’t see you there… that day,” he said, looking back up at her again. “Duncan said you were away.”

“America. With Maw and Da,” Ophelia said. “Tried to get back, but they weren’t letting anyone in or out. Suspect Duncan may have been fibbing to me a bit on some things.”

“Be glad you weren’t there,” he said, looking back down at the table again. “And I’m sure Duncan was just trying to keep you safe.”

“Aye, and for that time, I suppose I can’t blame him. But still… should have been my choice,” she said.

“I would have done the same thing… if it were me,” Charlie said, meeting her eyes. 

For a moment, Ophelia was taken aback by the intensity in them.

Her heart went out to him. She knew that if he could have, he would have done whatever possible to make sure his siblings hadn’t been there. But they were. And Fred was gone because of it.

Without thinking, Ophelia leaned forward and placed her hand on his.

“We all miss him,” she said softly, feeling that whatever she could have said would have been sorely inadequate, so said nothing more. A faint smile graced Charlie’s face as he put his other hand on top of hers and squeezed.

“Thanks,” he said softly.

“Aha! There you two are! Been hiding on us, have you?”

Ophelia shot back in her chair as she looked over to see Lazlo, Adara and a few other tamers. She pulled her hand back to her side of the table as a flush entered her cheeks. Lazlo was grinning, though while Adara was smiling, it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Without being invited, the rest grabbed chairs and pulled another table over, Maria shouting at them in Romanian as they rearranged her restaurant.

“A bottle of Tuica!” Lazlo shouted, plopping down in a chair next to Ophelia and tossed an arm around her shoulder. “Need to really introduce the newbie here to all the joys of Romania.”

Ophelia laughed slightly uncomfortably as she glanced over at Charlie, who was now frowning at Lazlo.

Oh, bugger. This was going to be _a night_ , Ophelia could tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the last chapter was so short, I decided to go ahead and post another chapter! Hope you enjoy!


	7. Confusion & Beaus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> An unexpected letter throws things into confusion for Ophelia. How does she explain this to Charlie? Should she even try?

**Confusion & Beaus**

“Are you sure it doesn’t hurt that badly?” Ophelia asked, looking over at Andrew with worry at the burn on his forearm. It was mostly healed up, but still looked a bit painful.

“Oh, I’m fine. Nothing like what Colonel did to Weasley the day we found him,” Andrew said. She turned her eyes to Charlie, who only shrugged. Just how badly had Colonel hurt him?

She couldn’t help as her eyes roamed his arms, looking for the tell-tale signs of a burn scar. Though they were littered with them, she couldn’t see any relatively new ones.

“They healed me up fine,” he said. 

“It’s on his back,” Andrew said, catching Ophelia’s search. She looked at him, her cheeks reddening slightly.

“Ruined my favorite shirt,” Charlie joked.

“Every shirt is your favorite shirt,” Andrew quipped in return as Charlie chuckled.

“Sometimes I forget how dangerous this job can be,” Ophelia said, turning back to her lunch. 

“Surprised, seeing as you were trailing Weasley. He’s in the clinic more than anyone,” Andrew replied. Ophelia gave Charlie a look, which caused him to blush slightly.

“Told you… easing you in,” he said. 

Ophelia chuckled, showing him she wasn’t that upset. Since the might-have-been a date, she had relaxed around him, taking Daria’s advice to heart. Though she still couldn’t help the flutter that started up in her stomach whenever he smiled at her. 

“Well, next time I’m out with ye, I expect to see some wild dragons,” she replied.

“Of course,” Charlie said. “Think you’re out with me in a day or two.” Ophelia smiled at him.

“Good,” she said, already excited about the prospect. 

“Mail call!” Adara shouted as she walked into the mess hall with a large bag on her shoulder. Ophelia turned back to her food, eager to finish up and get back to the office so she could finish up her work for the day and then relax with a book. She vaguely registered her calling out names as Andrew started in on another story.

In fact, it took Adara standing right next to her, a grin on her face, to get her attention.

“Got some things for you,” Adara said. She put down a package with messy handwriting that Ophelia immediately knew was from Oliver. She chuckled as she grabbed it and started unwrapping it.

“That Blishen’s?” Charlie asked, leaning over to look at the bottle.

“Only the best from Oliver,” Ophelia said with a sigh, pulling open the letter that accompanied it. “Says he thought I’d want a taste of home. Does he bloody think I’m in Antarctica?”

“Knowing Oliver, likely,” Charlie said. “You up for sharing?” Ophelia turned to him, smiling.

“Always,” she replied. Adara cleared her throat, getting everyone’s attention.

“Who’s M. Flint?” Adara asked. 

Ophelia froze a moment, seeing a sly smile spread across Adara’s face as she held out an envelope. She gulped and took it, looking down at the surprisingly neat handwriting. 

Marcus Flint had written her? Why?

“A beau, perhaps?” Adara asked.

“Oh! No! He’s… just a friend,” Ophelia said quickly, her cheeks flushing again.

“Really?” Adara asked. 

“I should get these to my cabin,” Ophelia said, gathering up the package and letter, then hurriedly making her way to the door. She glanced over her shoulder to see Charlie watching her with a curious look that she didn’t have time to decipher.

“Bugger,” she muttered before continuing on to her cabin. Once there, she sat the firewhiskey on the table and opened the letter, too curious to let it sit until later.

Reading through it, it was just a normal letter. No profound confessions of love - not that she was expecting that. He was curious to hear how things were going on the reserve and if she was enjoying herself. Though that in itself was odd. Until Ophelia remembered that she had agreed to meet up with him when she got back.

Right.

She had completely forgotten about Marcus and their promised meeting in the time she had been here, too caught up in the excitement of the reserve and dragons. And well, Charlie Weasley. How on earth did she handle this? 

Sighing, Ophelia sat down and grabbed parchment and a quill. Best to write him back, she supposed. It was the polite thing to do, after all.

~~~

Sighing, Ophelia trotted through the camp towards the main office, noting it had taken her longer than expected to write back to Marcus. But just as she was about to round the corner of a building, she heard voices and stopped.

“Did you see her run out of the mess hall? I’m telling you - something’s there,” she heard Lazlo say. Ophelia got a sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew they were discussing her. The question was, just _who_ was discussing her with him?

“There’s clearly something with this M. Flint,” Adara agreed. Well that should be no surprise. Ophelia was starting to get a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she didn’t completely trust the woman.

She had thought she was being nice, warning her about Charlie and all. But her little act in the mess hall had Ophelia thinking differently. She had intentionally set that up, she knew it. But why? Was this all related to Charlie?

“I’m telling you - no chance,” she then heard Charlie say. Ophelia held her breath as her eyes widened. Fuck, she should have known they would be talking to him. “Her brother and him had this massive rivalry in school. Still do. Hate each other. There’s no way she’s involved with him.”

“Really? You’re telling me you didn’t see how red her face got?” Lazlo asked with a laugh. “That was the look of someone who’s got something to hide. Perhaps a secret romance hidden from her brother?”

“You can’t tell me that you’re not curious about it,” Adara added. “I mean, I would be if I were you. Has she mentioned him to you at all since she’s been here?”

“No, but… Just… drop it. She said he’s just a friend,” Charlie said, a note of finality in his voice. 

“We’re just looking out for you,” Adara said softly. 

There was silence, and then a heavy sigh. Ophelia then heard footsteps and knew someone - likely Charlie - was walking away and towards her hideout.

Looking around she tried to find somewhere to hide, before dashing around another corner of the building and waiting. She looked out, seeing Charlie pass by, his brow furrowed as though he were deep in thought. She waited until he walked out of sight before taking another route to the main office that wouldn’t have her passing by Adara and Lazlo.

It was silly. It’s not like they were saying anything bad about her, but Ophelia couldn’t help but feel embarrassed to have caught them discussing her love life. Er, well, lack of one. It wasn’t anyone’s business if she and Marcus were dating. Though she certainly didn’t want Charlie to think that they were.

Which he was now clearly thinking that they were. Groaning quietly to herself, Ophelia stopped and shook her head.

“This is not Hogwarts,” she said firmly to herself. “You are a grown woman of 24. You don’t get embarrassed by gossip.” She then nodded to herself and continued walking, her head held high. 

She could fix this. All she needed to do was talk to Charlie and make it clear that she was not dating Marcus Flint - or anyone for that matter. And then they could go back to their easy friendship. 

Or something like that.

Yes, it was a good, solid plan, she decided, feeling better and more confident. Adara and Lazlo could fuck off, for all she cared. This was her life.

“Oh good, you’re back. Good lunch?” Elena asked as Ophelia walked in. She stopped and looked over, seeing the warm smile on her face.

“Yea, suppose,” she said. 

“Good, I need to go over stocks with the clinic and see what we’re running low on. Care to join me?” Elena asked.

“Sure,” Ophelia said, smiling. The two left the main office, making their way over to the clinic building. “How many healers do you have here again?” 

“Just the two full-time. Plus, we often have an apprentice or two to help them. They change regularly,” Elena said. “We have a program with a wizarding hospital in Bucharest where they send trainees to complete internship hours before they graduate.”

“That seems economical,” Ophelia replied, her mind already thinking that would be a good way to meet the required number of healers the law required while keeping costs down.

“It is. The hospital covers their pay and we provide accommodation and such,” Elena said. “They get hands-on experience and we make sure we have enough healers on hand to keep our people looked after. Helps that we also make a lot of our own potions and such here.” 

They stepped into the clinic, seeing one healer already occupied with working on a tamer with a slightly mangled hand. Ophelia stopped a moment, her eyes wide. She wasn’t queasy by any means, but up until now she had yet to see any injuries for herself.

“Ah, what happened here, Alex?” Elena asked, walking up to the two.

“Got smashed between a post and a juvenile Longhorn in the pen,” the tamer - Alex - said, grimacing as the healer repositioned his fingers. “Feisty, she is. But should be ready to be released in a week.”

“Good to hear,” Elena replied. She looked up at the healer. “Just here to check the stocks, Laura.” 

“Go on back. Frankie and Lottie should be able to help you,” Laura said, her attention fully on her task. 

Elene and Ophelia continued on to a large back room of the clinic where there were shelves and stores of various potions and salves and other supplies. A young man was at a potions set with another woman, the two of them looking over at the visitors as they walked in.

“Just a moment,” Lottie called out before turning her attention back to the potion. “Now, you just put the last ingredient in… like so… and… done!” 

“We let it sit a couple hours, yes?” Frankie asked.

“Yep,” Lottie replied, wiping her hands off on an apron as she turned and walked over to Elena and Ophelia. “What can I do for you?”

“Just here for the weekly check on supplies,” Elena said.

“Ah, good. We’re running low on bubotubers,” she said. She then looked at Ophelia. “Brew a lot of healing potions around here.”

“Suppose you would,” Ophelia said, looking around the storeroom in awe. She had never seen one this stocked before. Even the one at Hogwarts seemed small in comparison, though the reserve had fewer people than her old school. “Do you purchase all your ingredients?”

“What we can’t scavenge,” Lottie said with a sigh. “A lot grows around here naturally, but still have to get supplies shipped in.” 

“How’s the land? Have you considered a greenhouse?” Ophelia asked, looking back at her. Lottie raised her eyebrows and looked over at Elena.

“Told you she was smart,” Elena said with a smile. “We had one, but it’s hard to keep up with our staff. Found it easier to just order in what doesn’t grow naturally.”

“Hmm,” Ophelia said, stepping over to the shelves as Lottie walked over to a desk to grab a list of things the clinic needed. 

A greenhouse would be a great way to help Hebrides be self-sufficient, Ophelia thought. Though Elena was correct in that they would need someone to help keep it up. But perhaps rather than bringing someone in, they could work out something with the local residents. Maybe buy ingredients from farmers that were already growing them. 

She wracked her brain before recalling that there were several farms in the area that had greenhouses.

A bout of soft laughter drew her attention as she looked back over at Lottie and Elena, both watching her with amused looks.

“I’m sorry?” she said, worried they had said something to her that she missed.

“It’s nothing,” Elena said. “Just enjoying seeing that curious mind of yours at work.” Ophelia blushed slightly as she glanced at the shelves again. “Come, we should put in the orders.”

“Sure,” Ophelia said, walking over to her.

“You any good at healing or potions?” Lottie asked.

“Good at basic healing,” Ophelia said. “Better at potions.”

“Good. Perhaps you can do a day in the clinic with us,” Lottie said.

“I’d like that. If anything to see what goes into keeping it stocked and running,” Ophelia said. 

She and Elena said their good-byes and set back for the office. Ophelia looked around the camp, her mind wandering to Charlie and wondering what he was doing that day. While she appreciated learning all aspects of the sanctuary, she was keen on getting back out in the field.

“Ah, I know that look,” Elena said. Ophelia looked over at her, confused. “You want to get back out to the dragons, don’t you? Or perhaps… to work with someone else?”

“Oh, no! I mean, I would like to work with the dragons again, but I’ve really enjoyed working with you,” Ophelia said, not wanting to offend her. Elena chuckled softly and then looped her arm through Ophelia’s.

“I mean… there is someone special out there that you enjoy working with,” Elena said, a conspiratol glint in her eyes.

“I… no,” Ophelia said, her cheeks flushing.

“It is okay. You don’t have to tell me anything. But I will say… he is a good man,” Elena said. “A decent man. And I can tell you are a good and decent person as well.”

“But… I’m only here for a short time,” Ophelia said. 

“Ah, yes. Well, sometimes it is best not to worry so much about the future that you forget to live in the present,” Elena said sagely. Ophelia remained silent, thinking over her words. “Now… we have much work to finish today. Best to get started…”

~~~

Ophelia stretched as she stepped out of the bathroom, fully relaxed after her shower. There had been a rather lot of work to do in the main office. And then her reports and such that she had to send back to the Ministry. She had opted for dinner in her cabin just so she could get them all finished by a decent hour. 

Now, she was looking forward to relaxing next to the fire with a book, though her mind had wandered - not surprisingly - to Charlie. She hadn’t had a chance to speak with him and explain the whole Flint thing, though she had planned out the entire conversation in her head about 20 times by now. 

And she couldn’t help but also think to what Elena had told her. The older woman had obviously picked up on something between them, though Adara’s warning was still there as well. But really, after overhearing her, Ophelia was beginning to wonder about her motives. Perhaps she had only said that to get Ophelia out of the way. She had heard of such things - mostly from Daria. Hufflepuffs hadn’t been the sort to use such tactics in dating. Most certainly not Ophelia.

But this all came back to the same question - was there something between her and Charlie? Or was it that they were just good friends? Perhaps he was spending so much time with her because he was eager to hear more about home?

Frowning to herself, Ophelia walked over and picked up a book on dragon health that she was about halfway through and sat in a large, comfy chair in front of the fire, though didn’t move to open it, too caught up in her thoughts.

How did she go about figuring out what this was? The easiest, most logical solution was to just talk to Charlie about it, but that spiked a bit of fear. What if he didn’t feel anything towards her and only saw her as his mate’s little sister? That would be awfully embarrassing. But it was a necessary part of life. And she was an adult. Surely she could handle it.

However, could she handle the next few weeks working with him knowing that he only saw her as a friend when her feelings definitely were veering in a different direction? She supposed the good part of that was it would only be a few weeks and then she’d be gone. But on the flip side, if it turned out there was something, she only had a few weeks and then she’d be gone.

Shaking her head, Ophelia sighed. This was giving her a headache. Perhaps she’d sleep on it and worry about all this tomorrow.

A knock sounded on the door, drawing her out of her thoughts. Ophelia looked to the clock, noting the time and then back at the door. Her heart rate picked up. Perhaps it was Charlie.

Putting the book down, she started towards the door, then stopped at a mirror to fluff her hair a bit. She then stopped and rolled her eyes, realizing just what she was doing. Huffing, she walked over to the door and pulled it open.

Her eyes widened when she saw a grinning Lazlo standing there, a bottle of something in his hand.

“Missed you at supper. Thought we could hang out,” he said, glancing down at her pajamas. While they weren’t anything scandalous, with the look he was giving her, Ophelia wished she had put on her robe.

“Oh. Ehm… if it’s alright, raincheck?” she said, offering a small smile. The last thing she wanted was Lazlo in her cabin with alcohol.

“Really? I swear, this is top shelf,” he said, holding the bottle up.

“I appreciate it, I do. But I’m just so knackered,” Ophelia said, faking a large yawn. “Probably going to bed soon. Got a full day tomorrow and more reports to write.” Lazlo smiled and nodded slowly.

“You know, Wood. You really need to learn to let loose a bit,” he replied with a wink. “But I can take a hint. Next time.” 

“Goodnight,” Ophelia said, watching as he backed away from her door.

“Night,” he called out.

She then shut the door and leaned against it, letting out a sigh. Well, that was interesting. But crisis diverted. Now she could go back to her musings - er, her book. Yes. That’s what she was going to do.

She was going to read a book, not stay up half the night thinking about Charlie Weasley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got two more chapters finished – and then added in another chapter to write. Going to take a break from posting for a couple days to get things worked out a bit more and make sure I’m completely happy with the direction (and right now – I really am!).
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying this!
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading and following!


	8. Heartbroken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Ophelia finally has a moment with Charlie... and then it all goes to shite...

**Heartbroken**

Ophelia glanced over at Charlie as they hiked through the woods to check on an injured Welsh Green. Her feet slid slightly in the mud from an overnight rainfall, though she caught herself before she fell. 

A few more days had passed, and she continued to chicken out on speaking to him about, well, everything. Overhearing the speculations - the fact that she wasn’t dating Marcus Flint. It wasn’t as though they had much time alone, but every time she got a chance and opened her mouth, determined to finally address the dragon in the room - so to speak - she found the words catching in her throat.

_“What happened to being an adult, Ophelia?”_ a voice in her head griped. 

_“This is my older brother’s mate,”_ she countered. 

_“So? THAT has nothing to do with why you’re pansying out of this,”_ the other voice said, sounding far too much like Daria. _“Just admit you’re scared and get over it. Time to put on your big girl knickers. In fact, you don’t have to say ANYTHING. Just snog the bloke.”_

Ophelia grimaced at that, knowing that Daria was most definitely in her head. 

“Everything alright?” Charlie asked. Ophelia looked over at him, worried he had seen her previous expression. Merlin, she did not want to tell him about the internal conversation she was currently having with herself. He’d think her mad in a heartbeat.

“Fine,” she said quickly, smiling.

“Just… you seem a bit quiet today, is all,” he said, turning to look back at the trail.

“Oh, ehm, nothing. Just trying not to fall on my arse,” she said. “Trail’s a bit treacherous.” Charlie chuckled.

“Yea, suppose we should have apparated,” he said, running his hand up the back of his neck, scratching it. 

For a moment, Ophelia wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair and if it was as soft as it looked. Her face then reddened as she almost stopped, slightly taken aback by the thought.

_“Focus, Ophelia,”_ she scolded herself.

_“Yes, focus on what it might be like to kiss him,”_ Daria’s voice countered. 

_“Fuck’s sake,”_ she lamented, hearing Daria’s cackle in her mind.

“We’re just about there,” Charlie said, thankfully pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Oh, good,” Ophelia said, climbing up onto a log in their path. She then hopped to the ground and suddenly her feet slid out from under her. With a shout, she went down, landing arse first in a large puddle of muddy water. 

Despite how it looked, the only thing smarting at that moment was her pride as Charlie barely concealed a laugh. Well, this was perfect. She was sitting in a pile of mud in front of her crush. Who likely thought she was dating Marcus Flint. Lovely.

“Like you said, bit treacherous,” he said, holding his hand out to her. Ophelia glared up at him a moment, before the idea popped into her head. Before either side of her mind could comment on it, she reached down and grabbed a handful of mud and then slapped it into his hand with a smug smile.

“True, really should be more careful,” she said. Charlie’s eyes widened a bit as he looked down at their hands and then suddenly he was grinning as he bent down, seemingly as though he were going to lift her up. Instead, he reached down to her side and then Ophelia felt a plop on the top of her head as muddy water trickled down her cheek.

“Really gotta watch out for those mud puddles, Phillie,” he said with a wink.

“Oh, you’re so dead, Charlie Weasley,” she said. Charlie laughed as he took off down the trail. Ophelia grabbed another handful of mud and hopped up, chasing after him. 

Sure it was a bit childish, but Ophelia wasn’t one to back down from a challenge.

Charlie looked back at her over his shoulder before he dashed into a clearing and then stopped. Ophelia caught up to him, smearing the mud across his face, before turning to look at what had caught his attention.

Her eyes brightened at the sight of a now rather muddy and marshy clearing. Laughing, she spun away from him, pulling her knapsack and then jacket off and tossing them to safety before grabbing handfuls of mud and beginning to chuck them at Charlie.

“Where are those seeker reflexes!?” she taunted as he tried to dodge both, but still got hit by one.

“Oh, you’re about to get it, Phillie,” he challenged, taking off his own knapsack and then coat, tossing them to the side before starting after her.

Ophelia let out a whoop as she dashed away, barely keeping out of his reach while grabbing more mud and flinging it at him. Granted, the slippery, wet ground didn’t help and she found herself getting stuck or nearly falling half the time. In a manner of minutes, they had managed to nearly cover each other in the filth before Charlie finally caught up to her, grabbing her around the waist and lifting her over his shoulder.

“Charlie Weasley! Put me down!” she shouted.

“As you wish,” he replied before dropping her into a large puddle. 

Ophelia shrieked slightly at the coldness of the water, but she regained her senses enough, to trip him up, causing him to fall. Unfortunately, she didn’t take into account his momentum as Charlie toppled on top of her. 

“Oof,” she grunted as his large body landed on her. Thankfully, he caught himself before his full weight crushed her. Though they both sank a bit further into the mud.

The two of them stared at each other a moment before starting to laugh loudly. Charlie’s face was more mud than man and globs of it fell from his hair onto Ophelia’s face. She was certain she looked no better. 

“You look a right mess, Phillie,” Charlie said. 

“You’re one to talk,” she retorted. “Seriously need to look in a mirror.” 

“I happen to think the mud adds to my charm,” he quipped. Ophelia laughed.

“Right,” she said, barely able to breathe, she was laughing so hard.

She then stopped, though her smile didn’t fade as she gazed up at him, realizing just how close they were. She could feel his strong body pressed against hers and his face was hovering just above hers. Ophelia swallowed as Charlie’s expression shifted and his eyes moved down to her lips and then back up to her eyes.

Every nerve in Ophelia’s body was at attention as the knowledge poured through her mind that he was about to kiss her. She wasn’t sure just how she knew this, but she did. 

Charlie parted his lips slightly and then lowered his head as Ophelia held her breath. Slowly, he inched forward at an agonizing pace. Just as his lips ghosted over hers, there was a shout from the trees. 

Both of them looked over, hearing someone coming through the brush. In seconds, Charlie was off of Ophelia and helping her up as disappointment flooded through her. 

Just her luck. Something was finally about to happen and they had to be interrupted. The Daria side of her mind was currently cursing up a storm.

“What the bloody hell happened?” Andrew asked as he and Adara stepped into the clearing. “Get hit by a freak rainstorm?”

“Thought we’d take a dip in a mud puddle,” Charlie said, smiling, though Ophelia could see the blush rising through the patches of skin that were visible. Andrew laughed loudly. 

Adara smiled in amusement, but Ophelia could see something else in her eyes as she looked back and forth between her and Charlie.

“Well, clean yourselves up as best you can and then we’ve got to get to that Welsh Green,” Andrew said, already walking across the clearing, careful to avoid the puddles. 

Ophelia walked over to her knapsack and coat, pulling out her wand and trying to get as much of the mud as she could gone, though she knew she was going to have to shampoo her hair a few times to get all of it out.

“Say, Phillie, doing anything tonight?” Charlie asked. Ophelia looked over at him, pausing in her work.

“No,” she said.

“Why don’t you come over after supper,” he said. Her heart raced slightly as he smiled at her.

“Yea, sure. I can bring the firewhiskey from Oliver,” she said. 

“Good. Now… let’s get to that dragon,” Charlie said, pulling his coat on.

“Yes, the dragon…”

~~~

Ophelia toweled off her hair before setting it down and reaching for her wand, using magic to finish drying it out. Her eyes fell on the bottle of firewhiskey before she walked over to her wardrobe and contemplated what to wear. 

Excitement coursed through her. After the mud fight, she was no longer afraid to have _the talk_ with Charlie. It was obvious that something was there and it certainly wasn’t all in her head. Of course, Adara’s warning was still there as well, but for the moment, Ophelia was ready to throw caution to the wind. She’d cross that bridge when she got there.

Throughout the rest of the day, there had been looks and secret smiles. Winks. Inside jokes. Tons of flirting. If she hadn’t been sure about things before, she most definitely was now.

Charlie Weasley was most definitely feeling some sort of way about her. 

“Oi! Ophelia!” a voice shouted from her fireplace. Rolling her eyes, she walked over and sat in the chair in front of it.

“Dreadful timing, Daria,” she said dryly as her best friend’s face appeared in the embers.

“What? What’s going on?” Daria asked, worried.

“Oh, I’m just getting ready to go over to Charlie’s,” Ophelia said lightly.

“WHAT?! I KNEW IT!” Daria shouted, causing Ophelia to wince slightly. Even through floo, her volume was painful. “What happened?”

“Well, we got into a bit of mud fight today and… he was going to kiss me,” Ophelia said, smiling to herself. “But then we were interrupted.”

“Bollocks. Hate when that happens,” Daria said. “But… you’re going over there now?”

“Well, once I’m dressed, yea,” Ophelia asked. “He actually asked me to come over.” 

“Skip getting dressed and just go. Not like you’ll need to bother with clothes anyway,” Daria said lightly. Ophelia’s eyes widened as her cheeks turned red.

“Daria!” she shouted.

“What? Come on, Ophelia. It’s not like you haven’t had sex before,” Daria scoffed. “No need to be a prude.”

“Yea, but not… on the first… well… no,” Ophelia said, stumbling through her words. True, she was no virgin, but she could count the amount of men she had been with on one hand. Merlin, what if he was far more experienced than she was. A whole new strain of nerves started up in Ophelia, though she shoved it aside for the moment. She could only handle so much at a time. 

“Some of us aren’t as forward as you,” she said diplomatically, surprised that she didn’t sound jittery. Daria chuckled.

“True. Fine. Get dressed and go see your man. Though take my advice. As soon as he opens that door, kiss him,” she ordered. Ophelia rolled her eyes, though part of her didn’t think it a half bad idea.

They had been about to kiss just hours ago, as it was.

“Tell me about it tomorrow,” Daria continued.

“I will. Love ye,” Ophelia said, already standing.

She walked back over to her wardrobe and stared at it a few moments, before pulling out a comfortable oversized sweater that she wouldn’t need a coat for that fell off her shoulder nicely. She was just walking down the way even if the nighttime chill had already set it. She then paired it with a pair of comfortable sleep shorts that she knew Daria would approve of as they were a bit sexier than what she usually slept in.

They were just hanging out. No need to put on a party dress. Though at the back of her mind, Ophelia wondered just where things could go tonight. She paused for a moment, considering it. A shiver of pleasure coursed through her at the possibility. Again, she wasn’t one to sleep around casually, but part of her felt as though this wasn’t going to be something casual.

And part of her was excited to see more of Charlie Weasley. Literally. 

She then shook her head and walked over to grab the bottle and then her wand. She slipped into a pair of shoes before stepping out of her cabin. The cold air hit her and she sucked in a quick breath before hurriedly starting down the path to Charlie’s cabin. 

Though it was dark, she could make out someone just ahead of her dressed in far less clothing than she was. Which was odd. Who else would be out right now and dressed as though they were on their way to a hook-up. Granted, they were isolated on a dragon sanctuary. It wasn’t completely out of place that the tamers might get together here and there.

Ophelia slowed her pace when she saw the figure turn and walk up to the porch of Charlie’s cabin. 

Stopping, she looked around before ducking behind a tree where she could hear and see everything but stay hidden as her blood started running slightly cold. The figure knocked on the door. It opened quickly to reveal a smiling Charlie dressed in a pair of sleep pants and t-shirt. Merlin, that man had a body to die for, Ophelia thought. 

The smile slid off his face at the figure.

“Been awhile,” she said, and Ophelia immediately recognized Adara’s voice. Before Charlie could answer, she grabbed his face and pulled it down to her, kissing him passionately.

Ophelia’s heart stopped as she looked away, her breathing coming in haggardly. She then heard a door slam shut and looked back, seeing that Adara had gone in. 

Quickly, Ophelia stepped out from behind the tree, making her way back to her cabin as her mind went numb. Once inside the warmth of her cabin, she felt the tears start up and a pain prick at her heart.

Adara had been right. He was a player. He had been playing her and then when another option - an obviously more attractive option - presented itself, he jumped at it. The tears began pouring down her cheeks as she walked over and fell into the chair, leaning over to bury her face in her hands.

How could she be so stupid? She had fallen for it. All of it. And he had been playing her the whole time. Merlin, she had actually been considering sleeping with him that night if that’s where things went. She looked up, contemplating flooing Daria again, but decided not to. The sting of embarrassment was still too strong, and she wasn’t ready to talk about it just yet with someone else. 

Instead, she stood and walked over to the bottle on the table, opening it and then taking a large swig. As the alcohol burned down her throat into her stomach, she felt her resolve harden.

She had fallen for it, yes, but she hadn’t fallen completely. At least she knew now before it was too late. At least there was that.

“Merlin, I’m so fucking stupid,” she muttered to herself as she returned to her chair, taking the bottle with her. She took another large drink and leaned back.

“Fucking, bloody Charlie Weasley,” she hissed, feeling her hurt turning to anger.

She would allow herself to wallow for now, but tomorrow it was back to work with one focus in mind - her job.

And Charlie Weasley could go fuck himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I was going to hold off on posting another chapter until I got everything edited through chapter 14 and finished writing chapter 15, but couldn’t help myself. I’m just ready to post the good stuff, ya know? And this one is full of cute, mushy stuff… until it takes a turn for the dramatic (this is me…)
> 
> BTW – been listening to “Your Love is a Song” by Switchfoot on repeat while I’ve been editing and writing on this lately. Rediscovered them the other day and yea… feel like it fits. ^_^ Highly recommend. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	9. Once a Player

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> With a storm approaching, Ophelia finally has it out with Charlie.

**Once a Player**

To say things were tense the next day would be an understatement. Ophelia avoided looking at either Charlie or Adara, though was sure her cheeks were flaming red. This time from anger rather than embarrassment.

Not to mention, she woke up to not only a raging headache from the firewhiskey, but an overcast sky with everyone saying that a storm was coming in. Well, that was just perfect. A stormy day to fit her stormy mood. 

The entire sanctuary was out working to prepare, making sure the injured dragons were brought in closer to the camp and the various shelters and buildings were reinforced.

And just her luck, Andrei told her to go with Charlie to check on the dragons to the north of the camp just after lunch. Spending the afternoon with rain threatening to fall at any second alone with Charlie, while she attempted to pretend nothing was wrong was proving to be far too difficult. Ophelia cursed her inability to hide her feelings and wished she could be more like Daria in that aspect.

Turns out she had a temper every bit as explosive as her brothers when pushed. Though it wasn’t as though she was just angry. No, she was also hurt and embarrassed, though at least thankful that neither Charlie nor Adara had seen her last night. And that she had found out the truth before she had truly made a fool of herself.

“So… where were you last night?” Charlie asked, finally breaking the tense silence that had gone on for the last 45 minutes they had been working. They were nearly finished with this task and Ophelia was grateful that soon she could go stew in the privacy of her cabin. “I waited up for you, but you never came. Nearly came to check.” 

Ophelia nearly snorted but stopped herself. Sure, he waited. She had seen Adara go in with her own two eyes.

“I got tired,” she lied. “Sorry.”

“Oh… well…” he stopped checking the structure they were inspecting and turned to her, a look of concern on his face. “Did I… did I do something to upset you?” 

She didn’t stop the snort this time, though quickly turned away.

“No, ye did nothing of the sort,” she said, her voice harsh even to her own ears. 

Merlin, when had she gotten so bitter?

“Okay… is something else wrong?” he asked. “You seem out of sorts today.”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Ophelia said, finishing up her work and stepping back to inspect it. She was thankful that was the last bit they had to do. 

The sky looked as though it was about to rip open any second and had turned an odd shade of green. In fact, it had gotten exponentially darker in the time they had been out. While she was largely happy to get away from Charlie, she didn’t want to be caught out in the rain either. 

“You don’t seem fine,” Charlie said, still studying her.

“Forgive me if I don’t like being played,” Ophelia muttered, turning away. But Charlie’s arm shot out and he grabbed her, spinning her back around to face him, his own a mix of confusion and hurt.

Bugger, he had heard her.

“What was that?” he asked. Ophelia huffed and yanked her arm back, rubbing it slightly.

“I know that it’s the thing to do - that it’s _yer_ thing to do - but I don’t much like being another notch on yer belt,” she shouted. Charlie looked confused.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Phillie,” he said.

“Oh, shut it, Charlie! Adara told me all about yer little ploy. Going after flings and all. Leading poor women on and then dropping them when it’s no longer convenient for ye. That’s not the sort of thing I like,” she shouted. 

A look of realization came over his face as he stepped back and rubbed it with his hand, a slight groan coming from his lips.

“You can’t listen to everything Adara says,” he started.

“Oh, save it, Weasley,” Ophelia spat. “I saw you with her last night!” 

His face froze in shock before he took a step towards her.

“I can explain-”

“Oh, shut it! I don’t want to hear yer excuses!”

She then spun on her heels, stomping off a bit before pulling out her wand and apparating to her cabin. Just as soon as she arrived, it was as though the heavens opened up and hell fell out. 

The wind was howling as rain pelted the roof and thunder and lightning cracked through the sky. Ophelia shouted in anger as she stomped her feet. Yes, it was childish, but she was in the comfort of her cabin, so she didn’t much mind it.

How dare he? Going on with all those other women and then having the gall to tell her that she shouldn’t listen to Adara, especially after she saw him kiss her and then pull her into his cabin. The absolute nerve. But at least she knew now before she made an absolute fool of herself with him.

Walking over to the stove, Ophelia waved her wand, starting up some tea in the hopes it would calm her down. She pulled off her coat and hung it up, then paced around the small room a bit more.

Once the tea was ready, she took her mug to the table and figured she would at least get some work done while she was holed up inside for the night. 

Ophelia wasn’t sure how long she had been working, but her tea had long gone cold and she still hadn’t made much of a dent in her stack of paperwork - mostly due to the fact that she couldn’t concentrate on it to save her life. It had gotten dark rather early because of the storm, so she wasn’t even sure how late it was either. 

But she definitely was not happy when someone pounded on her door. She stood and walked over, pulling it open and immediately glaring when she saw Charlie standing there, soaked through.

“I’m no in the mood,” she spat, starting to shut the door.

“It’s Colonel,” he shouted, putting his hand up to stop the door. “He’s not in his cave and I’m not sure where he is.”

Ophelia’s heart nearly stopped as she took in the storm outside. With his injured wing and leg, there was no way he could fly to safety. Without a word, she spun around and grabbed her coat and wand, then rushed back to Charlie.

“Where would he go?” she asked, tugging on her coat as she shut the door. She stopped on the porch as she looked out at the storm. Even though the porch was covered, she was already getting wet from the rain blowing all about. 

“There’s a few spots off hand,” Charlie said, grabbing her hand. “We’ll start there and then see.” 

Without giving her a chance to answer, they disappeared.

~~~

“COLONEL!” Ophelia shouted, though she wasn’t sure if the dragon would be able to hear her over the storm. They had been searching an hour and she was soaked to the bone and up to her knees in mud, but she pushed through the cold and the wet, not wanting to stop until they found the injured dragon.

“He’s not here!” Charlie shouted. “I think we have to go back!”

“No! Not until we’ve found him!” Ophelia shouted back, pushing her hair out of her face. She didn’t have much luck as it was now plastered to her cheeks. Charlie looked around at the dark forest and then higher up the mountainside.

“I think I see a cave up there!” he shouted, pointing. “Let’s go and regroup! Decide where to go next out of the rain!” Ophelia huffed and nodded, following him up the hill. She slid in the mud and nearly fell until Charlie turned and caught her. 

Once she was set right, Ophelia continued trudging up and away from his arms. Though she was distracted by finding Colonel, she still hadn’t forgotten her anger at Charlie.

They finally made it to the cave and Ophelia pulled out her wand, lighting the tip as she gazed back into its depths. She then heard something and froze.

“Charlie… I think something’s in here,” she whispered. She felt Charlie at her side, her eyes trained forward.

“Just… no sudden movements,” he replied softly. “Stay here and I’ll check it out.” Ophelia nodded and stayed put as he slowly made his way further into the cave, suddenly worried they were about to be ripped to pieces by whatever wild animal was currently sharing their shelter.

Charlie stopped as the noise started again, and a tuft of flame shot out farther into the cave. It was then that Ophelia saw the glittering purple eyes.

“Oh, Colonel,” she said, starting after Charlie.

“Wait, he could be hurt and in pain,” Charlie said, putting his arm out to stop her. “He’ll act out if he’s hurt and I’d rather not be turned into barbecue.”

Ophelia swallowed as Charlie started cautiously towards the dragon, his hands up. Ophelia knew she should stay back, but couldn’t help as she inched forward behind him, all thought for her safety leaving her mind as all she worried about was Colonel.

“Hey there, mate,” Charlie said gently. “It’s just me and Ophelia. I only want to check that you’re not hurt.” 

More of Colonel came into view in Charlie’s wand light as he grew closer, though his black scales easily bled into the darkness surrounding him. Ophelia held her breath as Charlie crouched down in front of the dragon. Colonel raised his head and stared at Charlie then puffed a bit of smoke in his direction. Ophelia breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped over to the dragon and Charlie placed his hand on his snout.

“Can’t really tell in this light, but I think he’s okay. Just hunkered down for the night,” Charlie said, pulling his knapsack off. 

“Are you afraid of storms, Colonel?” Ophelia asked. The dragon huffed and shook his head. “Course not, ye brave, silly dragon, ye.” 

She turned, seeing Charlie had pulled out some lanterns and was lighting them up, making the cave a bit easier to see in. He then stepped over and started inspecting Colonel more closely. 

“Seems alright,” he finally said, stepping back. “But he’s not moving until this storm passes. And dunno about you, but I’d rather not go back out in it. Looks like we’re here for the night.”

Ophelia scoffed slightly.

“Bet this was yer plan all along,” she muttered, though it still managed to echo through the cave.

“Believe it or not, no,” Charlie replied, his voice clipped. “I’d rather not be stuck in a cave with you when you’re like this.”

“Oh, and it’s my fault, then?” Ophelia asked. 

Charlie sighed and shook his head, not stopping in his mission to get a small fire started a ways down from Colonel.

“No, it’s not. But I wish you would let me explain,” he said tensely. He got the fire going and then pulled out some blankets and other camping supplies. 

Ophelia walked over and grabbed a blanket, spreading it down on the ground. She nearly sat a moment before remembering she was wet and covered in mud. Quickly, she cast a few spells, cleaning off as much of the mud as she could before drying herself off. She then sat on the blanket and looked up at Charlie.

“Explain,” she said shortly.

Charlie sighed and stepped to the other side of the fire, pacing in a small circle.

“Look… so… Adara and I… we did have a thing a few years ago,” he said. “But I ended it when she didn’t want to get serious.” Ophelia snorted, earning a reproachful look from Charlie. She motioned for him to continue. “Every so often, she likes to start it up again. And I went with it a few times… it gets a bit lonely out here sometimes, but… then I stopped that. About a year ago. I think she only told you that shite because she’s jealous.”

“Oh, so what was last night?” Ophelia asked, completely missing the fact he had just said that Adara was jealous of her.

“That was Adara trying to start it up again, but I sent her away after she kissed me and forced her way into my cabin,” he said, staring at her. “And I would have done the same thing even if you weren’t coming over.” Ophelia didn’t speak at first, seeing the intensity in his eyes. She then huffed and looked away.

“Not that it’s any of my business,” she said, though she could already feel the wall she had put up beginning to crack.

She wanted to stay angry at him and not to give into the hope that what he was saying was true. But at the same time, she _wanted_ it to be true. To know that there was nothing with Adara because he wanted to be with her.

“But… it is,” Charlie said. She could hear him walking and looked back just in time to see him dropping to his knees in front of her. She sucked in a quick breath, seeing how close he was. “It is your business because… because I fancy you, Phillie. Well, no, I feel this is a bit more than that, but…” Charlie stopped fumbling through his words as his eyes met hers again.

“I care about you. More than just a… one-night thing or a casual fling,” he said. “I know what Adara told you, but that’s… that’s not really me, Phillie. I’m a relationship guy… to the point that I don’t really have many because it’s hard here… but… this… if it’s something… I don’t want it to be something casual…”

Ophelia couldn’t speak for a bit. All she could do was to just stare at him as his words sunk in. He cared for her too. And not like Adara had said. The sincerity in his eyes told her that he was being truthful. And well, she should have known he wasn’t like that. He was her brother’s best mate and she knew from their shared history that he had never been a player. Not at Hogwarts. Not afterwards.

She suddenly felt a bit foolish for how worked up she had gotten. But then again, she was operating off what Adara had told her - which she now knew wasn’t true. 

“You care about me?” she finally asked. Charlie nodded eagerly.

“I do,” he replied.

“I, ehm… I have feelings for you too,” she said, feeling slightly dumb. Merlin, she wished that had come out better. Charlie stared at her a moment before a grin slowly broke out across his face.

“You do?” he asked. Ophelia rolled her eyes, starting to smile herself.

“I just said so, ye numpty,” she replied. “And in case ye didn’t notice, I did just get worked up because I thought ye were with someone else.”

“But… what about Marcus?” he asked, worry still clinging to his eyes. Ophelia snorted.

“I told ye. Just a friend. Not even sure I’d call him that… we ended up at the same club just before I left and he asked to hang out when I got back… still havena decided if that’s such a good idea considering he and Ollie bloody hate each other,” she said.

Charlie dropped his head in relief a moment and then looked back up at her. Something had shifted in his eyes and the feeling that he was about to kiss her washed over her. But this time, Ophelia knew there was no way anyone could interrupt it.

And she didn’t want them to.

Charlie leaned forward, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. He then pressed his lips firmly against hers. 

Ophelia wasn’t quite sure why people always described kisses as though fireworks were going off and sparks were flying everywhere. She had never felt a kiss like that, and this wasn’t different in that aspect. But there was definitely something there that hadn’t been there the other times she had been kissed. 

A warm buzzing ran through her as she leaned towards him, moving her lips against his. She felt him run his tongue along her bottom lip and found herself parting her own, allowing him in. It was slightly rough, but gentle at the same time as his hand slid back into her hair, pulling her closer. She brought her hands up to his chest, feeling his solid chest under his wet shirt.

Despite his worry early, there was a sureness in his kiss. Not so much that he knew he had her or knew what he was doing. But that he was confident in the connection they shared.

Charlie continued leaning forward until she was lying on the ground, his large body on top of hers. She ran her hands down his chest and then back up as she wrapped her arms around his back. The kiss became more heated as he pressed against her and she felt his muscles rippling in his back.

Charlie’s hand moved from her hair, to her neck and then ventured down, hesitating slightly before he gently grabbed her breast, massaging it. Ophelia moaned against his lips, her body arching against his at the sensation. 

Merlin, part of her hoped he would never stop kissing her if it was like this. Never stop touching her. Never had a man set her aflame the way he did. The sensation was overwhelming and all encompassing. Part of Ophelia wondered if she should be frightened by the intensity of it, but the other part of her enjoying it quickly quieted the fear.

His hand then moved over to the buttons on her shirt, starting to undo them. Slowly, she started to come out of her lust-induced haze a bit to realize that a cave was definitely not where she wanted to sleep with Charlie for the first time. But the other side of her mind once again overrode that thought as his fingers brushed against her skin, the calloused pads rough but at the same time nearly had her shaking with want.

Charlie’s lips left her mouth and she gasped for air as he moved to her neck, still undoing the buttons of her shirt.

“Charlie,” she whispered, barely able to speak. 

“Mmm,” he murmured against her skin, the vibration sending shivers up and down her body.

“Charlie… s… st… stop,” she breathed, barely able to get the words out.

“Hmm?” he replied, still kissing her neck.

Somehow, Ophelia managed to brace her hands on his shoulders and push him away from her. He looked down at her, breathing heavily as he stared down at her in slight confusion.

“As much as I’m enjoying this,” she managed to get out. “I’m no so sure a cave is the best place.” He stared down at her a moment and then smiled softly, nodding. 

He rolled off of her and for a moment, Ophelia worried, but he then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest as he kissed her forehead.

“Likely right. It’s a bit damp,” he said. “And we’ve got an audience.” 

They both looked over at Colonel, who huffed at them in disapproval, before lying his head on his front paws away from them. Ophelia chuckled as she looked back at Charlie, finding his easy smile back. 

She pressed a kiss against his lips. 

“Though I have to admit, ye most definitely are my first choice of who I’d like to be stuck in a cave with,” she said. He grinned down at her and then looked over at his knapsack.

“Well, I can make us a bit more comfortable,” he said, looking back at her. She made out the slight blush that came over his face in the firelight. “I mean… not for… that…”

Ophelia laughed loudly and then kissed him again.

“I know,” she said. 

They got up and Ophelia quickly did up her shirt as Charlie pulled out a few things from his knapsack and set about to getting an air mattress set up and then tossing the blankets and some pillows on it.

“How did ye pack all of this so quickly?” she asked as she pulled off her coat and then walked over to the mattress, sitting down on the edge of it to pull her boots off. Charlie was doing the same next to her.

“Ehm, well… there’s always the chance we’ve got to go off and track a dragon down. Keep an emergency pack ready at all times,” he said. 

“Ah, makes sense,” Ophelia said. 

“Got food and tea as well, if you’re hungry or cold,” Charlie said.

“I’m no hungry,” Ophelia said, turning to him with a smile. “Though I’ve a better idea than tea to keep warm.” 

Charlie returned her smile as they crawled under the blankets and Ophelia settled into his arms again, finding it rather comfortable wrapped up in him. Charlie was apparently a walking furnace, his body heat more than warding off the chill of the cave and the storm. 

“Not how I was expecting that to go,” Charlie said. Ophelia chuckled.

“What? Getting stuck in a cave wi’ me?” she asked playfully. He laughed softly.

“No, I mean… that’s not how I had hoped to tell you. Wanted to make a more… romantic gesture… or something,” he said, frowning slightly. 

“Well, it’s no how I would have expected, but… at least we got it out in the open” she said. Charlie smiled down at her and then pressed a gentle kiss on her lips.

“That we did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting more of this done! Just finished writing chapter 16 and pretty sure I’ll get at least through chapter 17 done today. Things are getting exciting. ^^ Fair warning, things definitely get steamy in the next chapter. 😉
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	10. Together At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> ** Consider this your smut warning - sexy things happening in this chapter, though you can skip past them and it won't take away from the story.**
> 
> Ophelia and Charlie have finally confessed their feelings. What comes next? Well, their first date... sorta...

**Together at Last**

Ophelia peeled her eyes open the next morning, seeing the morning light pouring in through the cave opening and the sound of birdsong. The storm had died out sometime in the night, it seemed, though she wasn’t sure when, having fallen asleep easily thanks to the rain and Charlie. She stretched out a bit and then felt an arm snake around her waist and pull her back against a large, hard body.

“Morning,” Charlie said huskily in her ear, his voice still full of sleep.

“Morning,” she replied, snuggling back in against him, her eyes drifting closed again.

“We should probably get Colonel back,” he replied.

“Few more minutes,” Ophelia murmured. Charlie chuckled and then kissed the side of her head.

“Fine, but they’ll send a search party if we don’t get back soon. May have already done so. Not sure how late it is,” he said. Ophelia opened her eyes and rolled them.

“Last thing we need is someone interrupting us. Again,” she muttered, causing him to chuckle again.

“How about this? We get him back. Work on whatever repairs are necessary and then tonight you come over for dinner at mine and no one will interrupt us,” he said, his voice holding much more than a promise. Ophelia smiled as she rolled onto her back and looked at him. She bit back a laugh, seeing that his hair had slipped out of the band holding it back and was flying around his head like a curly mane.

“Sounds perfect,” she said, reaching up to ruffle his hair a bit. 

Charlie bent down and kissed her. While it was light and gentle at first, she held his head in place and kissed him a bit more deeply. A groan vibrated through his body.

“We really should get going before you tempt me too much,” he said against her lips. 

Ophelia chuckled as she rolled away from him and got up, stretching a bit more. She then reached up and pulled her hair into a bun on her head with an elastic she kept around her wrist. She looked over, seeing that Colonel was calmly watching her.

“Ehm… Charlie? How does one get a dragon out of a cave?” she asked. “And back down to where he’s supposed to be?”

“Very carefully,” he replied. Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly.

“Right…”

~~~

Ophelia held onto Charlie a bit longer after he apparated them back to the outskirts of the main camp, not wanting to let go of him just yet. It had taken some time - and a lot of coaxing - to get Colonel out of the cave. But they had somehow managed and then led him down the mountain to his original cave. Once he was settled in, Charlie had brought them to the edges of the camp.

She looked up at him, smiling as he bent down and kissed her, then turned and led her down the path, his hand gripping hers.

“Ehm, Charlie,” she said, suddenly feeling a bit shy. While she knew how he felt about her, they still hadn’t really discussed just exactly what this was and she thought it was best to do that before they got caught up in all of the work that was surely lying ahead of them today. 

He stopped walking and looked down at her.

“Yea?” he asked. “Something wrong?”

“No, ehm, just… well… before we get to the others, I just wanted to, ehm…” she stopped, huffing slightly. She then met him straight on in the eyes. “What are we, exactly?” 

Charlie smiled and pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Though that was obvious. We’re together,” he said before kissing her. Ophelia felt the last bit of weight on her chest lift as she smiled up at him. “Unless…” Ophelia laughed loudly.

“I think we both established last night _that_ wasn’t our sort of thing,” she said playfully. 

“Good,” Charlie said, grinning. He kissed her again and then started back to the camp. 

“But, ehm, I’m no so sure I want everyone knowin’ just yet,” she then added. Charlie glanced at her, slightly confused. “It’s not… well, with… Adara and all… maybe ease into?” Charlie chuckled and rolled his eyes before kissing her cheek.

“Do _not_ worry about Adara,” he said. “She’s an adult. She’ll get over it.” He started down the path again, the camp coming into view. 

But as they neared it, he let go of her hand, smiling down at her to let her know that he was following her lead. 

“Oi! There you are!” 

They both looked over, seeing Andrew jogging up to them. Some of the other tamers looked over to see the two.

“Thought you were mad going out into that,” he said, stopping as he reached them.

“Had to find Colonel and make sure he was fine,” Charlie said. “Found him holed up in a cave and waited out the storm there before moving him back this morning.” Andrew looked back and forth between the two, then started smiling.

“I see,” he said, a knowing note in his voice. “Well, now that you’re here, got loads of work. Was a right nasty storm.” He turned, motioning them to follow him. 

“How bad?” Charlie asked. 

“The enclosures seem fine thanks to everything we did yesterday, but there’s been some damage to the main office and hatchery,” Andrew said. “Got others out checking on the rest of the buildings and habitats.”

“Well,” Charlie said, winking at Ophelia. “Best to get to work, then…”

~~~

Ophelia stared at herself in the mirror, turning this way and that as she took herself in from different angles. She wasn’t sure why she was so nervous, but she was. This was just Charlie. 

Charlie Weasley who she once had a school girl crush on and was apparently now dating.

Despite being a bit sore from all the work, she had been looking forward to this all day. 

She was grateful that she had slipped a dress into her luggage at the last minute. She hadn’t thought she would need one but didn’t want to chance it. It wasn’t one of the party dresses that Daria had forced her to buy, but rather a light blue cotton dress that tied at the shoulders. Sure, it was out of season, but that’s what cardigans were for. And she was only walking down the path a bit. Ophelia thought it looked flattering on her – much more so than any of the short sparkly dresses Daria could possibly force her into.

She stopped turning and pulled her hair over her shoulders, then pushed it back. Then pulled it forward again over one shoulder, huffing.

“Just get your wand and go,” she muttered to her reflection. She then turned and slipped into some shoes and walked over, grabbing a wool cardigan and pulling it on. She grabbed her wand and then at the last minute grabbed the bottle of firewhiskey before stepping out and carefully making her way to Charlie’s. The ground was a bit mucky still from the storm, but she managed to get there without ruining her shoes too badly.

She took a moment to take a deep breath and then knocked.

Charlie pulled the door open and froze a moment before a smile spread across his face as he took in her dress. Ophelia looked down shyly before looking back up at him. He had cleaned up as well, now dressed in a pair of khaki trousers and a light green button-up that was rolled up at the sleeves and untucked. His hair was pulled back again, though Ophelia was tempted to pull it out of the band. 

She rather liked his hair down, she decided.

“Are ye going to stare at me all night or let me in?” she asked. Charlie chuckled and stepped back, letting her in. Ophelia looked around the cabin. It was similar in layout to hers, though was definitely more lived in. There were loads of photos up on the wall and the bed was neatly made. He also had a small sofa and coffee table on the opposite wall from the fireplace. 

He had strung up some lights on the walls and the table was already set with candles on it, bathing the cabin in a soft, romantic glow. She glanced back at him as he shut the door, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

“Ye did well, Charlie,” she said, turning back to the table. He stepped up to her side and kissed her cheek, then took the bottle, placing it on a small cabinet with other alcohols.

“Well, did what I could with the time I had,” he said. Ophelia walked over to the table and Charlie quickly walked over, pulling the chair out for her. Ophelia continued grinning like mad as she sat and Charlie walked over to the small kitchenette, waving his wand. 

She was actually surprised to see how much he had accomplished in the time since they finished up their work and now. She had barely managed to shower and change and get her makeup right.

Soon enough, a bottle of wine was on the table after their glasses had been filled and Charlie was walking over with two plates of pasta. 

“I’m afraid I don’t have a very large repertoire, but what I can cook, I think I do well enough,” he said, placing one in front of Ophelia. He then sat down next to her, placing his own plate down.

She took a deep breath as she picked up her fork.

“Smells good enough,” she said. Charlie nodded and then looked down at his plate a bit nervously. Ophelia found it endearing as she took a bite and found that he was better than okay. “Charlie, this is really good,” she said once she had swallowed.

“Really?” he asked, looking relieved. She smiled and nodded. 

“I mean, it’s not Maria-level, but certainly much better than I could do,” she said before taking another bite. Charlie chuckled before digging into his own. “So… how many ye think know about us?” Charlie snorted slightly.

“Pretty sure the whole camp is aware that something is going despite our best efforts. Rather small and there is an active rumour mill. And we did spend the night in a cave together,” he replied. He then looked at her. “I hope you’re not bothered.” Ophelia shrugged.

“Doesn’t bother me anymore,” she said, finding it true. While she had been nervous about it before, she found that now that she was sitting here with him, she didn’t care if the whole world found out about them.

Well, almost. She wasn’t looking forward to Duncan and Oliver’s reactions. But they had plenty of time before she needed to worry about that.

They settled into comfortable small talk as they ate and made their way through the first bottle of wine. Once they had finished dessert, Ophelia settled on the sofa as Charlie got the dishes started and then walked over to her with a second bottle. 

He sat down and refilled their glasses before putting the bottle on the table and leaning back next to her. Ophelia immediately cozied up to his side as he put his arm around her. 

“I could get used to this,” she said, looking up at him. “Being wined and dined by ye.” Charlie smiled down at her before pressing a kiss to her lips.

“I could as well. Cooking for you and all,” he said. Ophelia’s smile faded slightly as she remembered that she didn’t have much longer until she had to leave. But then decided she didn’t really want to think about it right now. 

As Elena had told her, it did no good to get so caught up in the future that you forgot to live in the present. 

“So… how do you think Duncan and Oliver are going to take the news?” Charlie asked as Ophelia took a drink of her wine. She snorted softly.

“I don’t really care,” she replied. “I mean, I’m no too sure. They’ll be shocked, but I don’t think they’ll attempt to beat ye up. Ehm, or eventually they’ll come around to it - Ollie first. Then Duncan.”

“I’m sure I could take them,” Charlie said lightly. Ophelia glanced at his broad chest and muscled arms then back up to his eyes.

“Likely could,” she said. “At the same time.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” he replied. 

“What about yer family?” Ophelia asked.

“Mum’ll be thrilled,” he said dryly, as though the prospect of Molly Weasley being happy her second-oldest was in a relationship wasn’t such a great thing. 

“What’s that for?” Ophelia asked, frowning. Charlie looked down at her, blushing slightly.

“Nothing to do with you. Just… She’ll have the wedding planned by the end of dinner,” he replied. “Since Bill got married, she’s caught wedding fever. Been begging the rest of us to get hitched as soon as possible.”

“Oh, well…” Ophelia said, blushing now as well. She was trying not to think a few weeks in the future and had yet to even broach the idea of that far ahead. But Charlie was the second oldest, so it shouldn’t have been such a shock that Molly would be egging him to settle down. And she remembered the conversation she had with Oliver before she left about Percy possibly getting engaged soon. All of the Weasley bunch possibly settling down soon.

But settling down seemed so far away to Ophelia at the moment.

“But no need to tell our families just yet,” Charlie said quickly.

“Right. Think it’s best,” Ophelia added. “I mean, it’s still brand new to us and all. Should probably get ourselves sorted first.” 

Charlie smiled as he sat up and put his glass on the table, then took Ophelia’s and did the same. She stared at him in confusion until he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.

“To be honest, I’m not sure I’m ready to share… this… you… just yet,” he said softly before kissing her. 

Ophelia smiled against his lips as she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and then up to his hair. She tugged at the band holding it back until it came out. Charlie pulled back from her slightly.

“I like it down,” she said. He chuckled and then leaned in, kissing her again. 

“I like yours down as well,” he said against her lips, causing Ophelia to giggle. Merlin, it was like they were back in Hogwarts, snogging in the common room. Not that she knew all that well what that was like. 

But then he deepened the kiss, and everything fled from Ophelia’s mind except for his lips against hers, his tongue dancing around her mouth and his hands running over her body. 

Charlie pulled her closer and she maneuvered until she was on his lap. They parted a moment, both breathing heavily as they stared in each other’s eyes and Ophelia remembered she was in a dress. Now straddling Charlie on the sofa. And she could feel that he was most definitely feeling the heat of the moment just as much as she was. Merlin, this was all happening so fast. She was starting to feel a bit lightheaded.

“We can slow down,” he said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She must have broadcast her thoughts on her face, but Ophelia smiled and leaned forward, kissing him again.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. 

Her heart was racing and yes, while it all did seem to be happening quickly, Ophelia didn’t care. Something about being with Charlie felt right. As though there had been some piece missing that she wasn’t aware of until this moment when it fell right into place. 

Sure, there was loads more for them to talk about. More to learn about each other. But they had time. Right now, she just wanted to feel his body against hers. Charlie moaned softly as she pressed herself against him, running her fingers through his hair. She could feel his grip tighten on her waist. 

“Merlin, Phillie,” he breathed. She laughed softly, staring into his eyes again.

He then stood, holding her steady as he pulled her up with him. He held on to her hand, guiding her to his large bed. He then stopped, his eyes questioning her before he went any further. 

Ophelia took a deep breath and then reached up, untying one strap of her dress and then the other. There was still the zipper in the back, but she reached up and put her hands on his face, guiding him down to hers. 

“It’s okay… I trust you,” she whispered before kissing him.

**As soon as her lips met his, she felt his hands go to the zipper on the back of her dress, pulling it down slowly. She went to work on his shirt, quickly undoing the buttons. By the time he had finished with her dress, his shirt was undone and Ophelia ran her hands up and down his chest, taking in the various scars before looking back up at him and pushing it off his shoulders.

This was nothing like her fantasies. No, it was much, much better. 

A large tattoo of a dragon wrapped around his right arm, its head resting on his pectoral and breathing fire across the muscle. She quirked an eyebrow as she looked back into his eyes.

“I _am_ a dragon tamer,” he said softly as he pulled at her dress and it fell off, pooling around her feet. His eyes widened slightly, taking in her lacy underwear and matching strapless bra. “Merlin, you’re more beautiful than I imagined.” 

Ophelia looked away, blushing, but Charlie guided her to look back at him.

“I mean it… you are,” he whispered before kissing her again. He then pulled her around so that her back was to the bed as she tugged at the button on his trousers. Charlie stepped back from her as she sat on the bed, watching him. He pushed them down and then stepped out of them, down to his boxer briefs which were straining to contain him. 

Charlie then leaned down, kissing her as he gently pushed her back onto the bed. Of course, that only added more fuel to the fire and soon enough Ophelia felt as though the few bits of clothing they still had on were far, far too much. 

Charlie propped himself over her and Ophelia let her hands wander up and down his back as she wrapped one leg around his leg, lifting her body slightly to meet his. But he was keen on taking his time. Placing a hand on her side, Charlie rolled them over onto their sides as his hand slid then back to the clasp of her bra, undoing it. Ophelia grabbed the bit of material and tossed it aside, not really caring where it landed as she pressed herself against his chest. 

A soft groan sounded as his large hand came back to her side, resting there before he rolled her onto her back again, his hand moving up to her chest. Ophelia gasped as he ran his thumb over her nipple, feeling it harden under his light touch. The odd mix of his gentle ministrations with the rough texture of his calloused hands combined to light a spark that ran through her veins and Ophelia found herself raising her hips up to meet his.

Charlie just chuckled against her lips then tenderly kissed his way down to her neck as his hand brushed down her chest and stomach, going lower until it stopped at the edge of her panties. 

“Charlie,” she whispered, needing to feel more of him. A dull throbbing had started at her core and she needed him there. His hand slid underneath the lacy material, his fingers brushing through her curls before one finger found the point of her throbbing. Ophelia arched her back, her eyes closing as the spark ignited under his touch, setting her veins on fire and she swore she saw stars. 

His lips moved back up until he captured hers in a kiss, this one more heated than the others. She felt him slip one finger inside her and her body acted of its own accord, her hips now moving, matching the slow speed with which he was sliding his finger in and out of her, his thumb making slow circles around her clit. 

Whatever lack of experience she had no longer seemed to worry her as they fell into rhythm together. Almost as though they had been doing this for years.

He then slid one more finger in and Ophelia moaned softly. She opened her eyes, finding him smiling down at her. She returned it as her hands slid down his chest, feeling the ridges of his scars. A shiver went through Charlie as he kissed her again, groaning into her mouth. But Ophelia didn’t stop - not until her hands were at the edge of his briefs. As he quickened his pace, she slid her hands in, finally feeling how hard he was for her. Charlie hissed against her lips, jerking his hips forward as she wrapped her fingers around his cock, finding its girth rather thick. She then began stroking it, starting slow before matching his pace.

Charlie growled against her lips.

“Merlin, Phillie…” 

Ophelia smiled, pleased that she had made him react in such a way. And each time he said her name, it sent more chills running up and down her spine. 

Suddenly, he pulled his hand away, causing her to whimper, though he quickly pulled off his underwear and looked down at her, a fire filling his eyes as he kept her gaze and slid her own panties down her legs. Ophelia kicked them away as he settled between her legs and she felt his cock, now free of the constricting fabric, lying against her stomach.

“Are you sure?” he asked softly, searching her eyes for any sign of hesitation. Ophelia lifted up and kissed him as her hand slid down and took hold of his throbbing member again, stroking it. He closed his eyes a moment, leaning his forehead against hers as he breathed heavily.

“I told you… I trust you,” she said. 

Charlie opened his eyes and kissed her fiercely, pushing her back onto the bed as he positioned himself at her entrance. Ophelia’s legs began shaking in anticipation, feeling his tip brushing against her. He then gently pushed inside her, the both of them gasping loudly. He didn’t stop until he was fully in, and they both panted against each other. 

Ophelia then met his eyes again, nodding slowly as a smile crept across her face. Charlie kissed her gently as he slowly pulled back, and then pushed in. Ophelia arched against him, wanting to feel him against every part of her. The fire inside her was growing with each thrust, as he suredly stoked the flames. She met him thrust for thrust, wrapping her leg around him and urging him to go deeper. Faster. 

Their bodies melded together almost as though they were created specifically for each other and Ophelia found it easy to keep pace with Charlie, though she was starting to lose her mind from the pulses of pleasure coursing through her with increasing intensity. 

As though something possessed her, she pushed him over until she was on top of him, looking down into his glorious blue eyes, her hands running up and down his chest as she grinded against him. Charlie moaned, gripping her waist tightly before sliding his hands down to squeeze her ass, urging her faster. Both of them were breathing heavily and this position allowed her just enough friction that she was near delirious from it. 

“Fuck… Ophelia,” he said in between pants. Something struck deep in her abdomen and she leaned down towards him.

“Say it… say it again… my name,” she urged. Charlie smiled.

“Ophelia,” he said, her name rolling off his tongue as he yanked her down to him and thrust up inside her. Ophelia moaned loudly as he held her in place, unable to keep up with him as each thrust built the inferno larger. Near out of control. 

“Look at me… Ophelia,” Charlie breathed. She lifted her head slightly, meeting his eyes. “Come undone with me…”

She couldn’t speak as she felt him press on her clit again and a scream erupted from her lips as her core erupted with overwhelming pleasure. Charlie flipped her over, still staring into her eyes as he thrusted a few more times, hitting deep inside her. He then let out a strangle grunt and she felt him explode inside her. He thrust a few more times before stopping and falling onto the bed next to her.

Neither spoke a few moments, the two trying to catch their breath. Ophelia then looked over at him, a smile on her face as she reached out and placed her hand on his cheek, guiding him to look at her. He returned the smile and leaned over, kissing her gently before pulling her into his arms. 

Neither needed to say anything, she realized as she settled into his embrace. Their eyes said it all. **

~~~

Ophelia wasn’t sure what time it was, but the cabin was dark, and Charlie’s arms were still wrapped around her, his body warm next to her. She sighed happily as she gazed at him. His face was relaxed in sleep, his mouth falling slightly open as a stray curl fell across his forehead. 

She reached out and gently pushed it back, causing him to stir slightly though he didn’t wake up. 

An overwhelming happiness came over her. Things had gotten a bit rocky there, but she was glad to be right where she was - lying in his arms. 

However, uneasiness crept in. She only had two weeks left until she had to return to London. Frowning, she looked up at the ceiling and thought about that a moment before looking back over at him. 

She didn’t know what would happen after she left, so she was determined to make the best of what time she did have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yay! Ophelia and Charlie are now together, but it's not all fun and games from here. And yea, I still get all nervous about posting love scenes. This one I really wanted to be sweet as well as hot, just because I feel that's how Ophelia and Charlie are. There are a couple more coming up, though I don't want to go overboard with it. This story is ultimately about Ophelia and Charlie falling in love...


	11. Mountains Out of Molehills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> All seems well, or so it appears. What happens when Ophelia forgets that she hasn't told her brothers about her new beau?

**Mountains out of Molehills**

Ophelia hummed to herself as she studied the shelves of supplies a moment before grabbing a few things and packing them into a knapsack. She and Charlie were heading out to check on a few dragons on the far borders and then going outside of the sanctuary to see about a possible dragon attack on a farm, so wanted to make sure they were prepared for whatever could happen.

Though it had only been a few days since the storm, Ophelia felt as though it had been much longer. There was an easy familiarity to being with Charlie, though she supposed it could be because they had known each other for years as it was. Or maybe it was something else.

She spent every day going out in the field with him now, checking on the dragons and studying them. Then every evening they would spend hours talking or just reading together - he had a personal library that rivaled her own. Then she would fall asleep in his arms either at his cabin or hers.

Ophelia couldn’t help but think this could possibly be the best time of her life. Working with dragons, learning how to run a reserve, and getting to do it all with an incredible man who, for some reason, seemed to care just as much for her as she did for him.

It was like something from a fairy tale or one of those muggle films. But here she was, living it. A soft smile came over her face as she thought of him and how she fit perfectly in his arms. 

She heard footsteps behind her and started chuckling.

“Och, thought I told ye I didna need help. I can pack a supply bag by now,” she scoffed, figuring Charlie was getting impatient to get out to his dragons even though they had agreed to leave in about 30 or 45 minutes.

“Just getting my own gear,” a feminine voice replied. Ophelia spun around, her eyes wide as she saw Adara walking into the shed, pulling her own knapsack off one shoulder. 

“Ah, I see,” Ophelia said curtly before turning around and getting back to her work. 

Truthfully, after everything that had happened, Ophelia had been avoiding the woman, still angry that she had attempted to sabotage her and Charlie. It was something that hadn’t gone completely unnoticed by some of the other tamers, though they were thankfully too polite to ask about it. They hadn’t been shy when it came to asking about her and Charlie, though Ophelia was of the mind that it hadn’t been that obvious. She still wasn’t one for public displays of affection and was getting used to the fact that Charlie enjoyed sneaking kisses here and there. Always found some way to touch her.

“So… How are you? We haven’t really gotten a chance to catch up much the last few days,” Adara said casually, glancing at Ophelia. “Seems you’ve been a bit busy… not spending much time in the mess hall for dinner and all.”

“I’m fine,” Ophelia said brusquely. Adara nodded.

“And Flint? Saw you got another letter from him yesterday,” she continued. Ophelia huffed and turned to the older woman, who was wearing a look of innocence, though Ophelia knew better.

“I know what ye’re trying to do and ye might as well give up,” Ophelia said bluntly. Adara’s eyes widened.

“I don’t know what-”

“Och, ye do. Ye’re tryin’ to get in between me and Charlie and it’s no gonna work,” Ophelia said, scowling at her. “And rather childish, if ye ask me.” She then turned back to her work, though she noticed Adara’s eyes narrowing.

“You think you’re so special,” Adara said, her voice now cold as ice. Ophelia looked over at her, slightly surprised at the sudden change. It was almost as though an entirely different woman was standing before her. The smile was gone and instead there was a dark scowl. “But you’re not. You’re just like all the others. It’ll be all hot and heavy for a few weeks, but then once you’re gone, he won’t even give you a second thought. And then he’ll be back with me. He _always_ comes back to me.” Adara leaned closer, a smirk appearing on her face. “Enjoy it while it lasts. Because soon you’ll be back in England. And Charlie will be here. With me.” 

She then straightened up and sauntered out of the shed, leaving a stunned Ophelia with her mouth gaping. She then turned back to collecting supplies, fuming as she thought over Adara’s words.

“Definitely don’t think I’m special,” she muttered under her breath.

She continued grumbling to herself as she finished up and then slung her knapsack over her shoulder. As she turned to leave the shed, she stopped as a small bit of worry crept in. 

Ophelia knew it was ridiculous. Charlie had made it clear that he didn’t do casual relationships and that he was serious about them. And that Adara was just lashing out in any way she could from jealousy. He hadn’t felt anything about her for years. But even though Ophelia knew all this, it was working. She couldn’t help but worry - yet again - that it was true, and that Charlie was just using her. 

_“No, Ophelia. Ye’re bein’ daft. Ye and Charlie talked about this already,”_ she scolded herself. _“Ye trust Charlie.”_

She did trust Charlie. But why on earth was she now standing here in the damn supply shed, worrying that everything was coming to an end in less than two weeks?

Ophelia groaned to herself and then shook her head, determined not to let Adara come in between her and Charlie again as she stepped out of the shed. But then she stopped again, frowning. Looking down at her watch, she noticed that she still had about 30 minutes before they were set to head out.

That was long enough for her to get a pep talk. And she knew exactly who would get her sorted and out of her head. Her twin had proven over the years that he could set Ophelia straight in all manner of things, whether it was freaking out over an exam or something with work. 

She quickly headed back to her cabin and went to the floo. He would definitely be up, though she hoped that Oliver hadn’t left yet for the gym at Puddlemere Stadium.

“Oliver!” she shouted into the fireplace after tossing a handful of floo powder. It only took a few seconds for his face to appear in the embers.

“What is it? Was about to leave for the stadium,” he said, a look of concern on his face.

“Oh, I’m fine. Nothing dangerous, just… I need you to tell me I’m being an idiot,” she said. Oliver’s concern turned into a frown.

“What the hell are ye talkin’ about, Phillie?” he asked. It was then that she remembered that she had yet to tell Oliver or Duncan about her and Charlie. 

Her eyes widened as she realized just how big a mistake she was about to make. Why didn't she think to floo Daria instead? 

“Oh, now that I think about it, I’m fine,” she said, hoping she sounded casual. “It’s just a wee thing…”

“Phillie, what’s going on? Are ye okay?” Oliver asked, now worried even more. Crap, Ophelia thought. He wasn’t going to let it go now. “Duncan! Get over here! Something’s wrong with Phillie.”

“Oh shite,” she muttered as she dropped her head into her hands. What the hell was Duncan doing at Oliver’s at this time in the morning?

“Oi, Phillie, you ready?” 

Ophelia turned her head, seeing Charlie walking into the cabin with an easy grin and his own knapsack over his shoulder. She then whipped it around to the fireplace, seeing Duncan’s face appear next to Oliver’s in the flames.

“What’s going on, Phillie?” Duncan asked sternly. “Who’s there with you?”

“Oh, nothing! Gotta go!” she shouted cheerfully, trying to scramble to her feet and shove Charlie out the door.

“Duncan! Mate! How are you doing?” Charlie asked brightly as he stepped over to the fireplace and peered down into it. Ophelia groaned again.

“I’d be a lot better if I knew what was going on with my sister,” Duncan said, undeterred. Charlie looked at Ophelia with wide eyes and then back at the two brothers, taking a deep breath.

“Well… we knew we’d have to tell you eventually. Just didn’t think you’d figured something was going on this soon,” he said with a nervous laugh. 

Ophelia immediately shook her head, trying to signal to Charlie to shut up. This is most definitely not how she wanted to tell her brothers.

“WILL SOMEONE TELL US WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON?!” Duncan shouted, causing Ophelia to jump. She looked down at her brother’s face, clearly seeing the vein popping in his forehead.

Oliver didn’t look any happier.

“Charlie and I are dating!” Ophelia shouted quickly, figuring it was best to get it out of the way. Like pulling off a plaster. Quick and easy.

The room filled with silence as the two of them stared down at the flaming faces of her brothers. Oliver looked stunned while Duncan seemed to have shut down completely, his mouth opening and shutting like a fish. Ophelia glanced at Charlie, who offered her an encouraging smile as he reached over and took her hand.

“UNHAND MY SISTER, YE CAD!” Duncan shouted, roaring back to life.

“YE ARE FAR TOO OLD FOR HER!” Oliver chimed in. “YE SHOULD BE PROTECTING HER! NOT DATING HER!”

The couple stared down at the fireplace in amusement for a few moments as the two brothers began shouting insults and threats at Charlie, both of them threatening to leave immediately for Romania immediately to come kick his arse. While this is what Ophelia expected, she had to admit it wasn’t as bad with the two of them stuck in London and unable to physically hurt Charlie. Maybe it was best they found out this way.

Well, she wasn’t sure either of them could hurt him at all, now that she thought about it. He was a fair bit bulkier than the two though shorter than them.

“This is what you were talking about,” Charlie said, looking over at Ophelia. She nodded. “Merlin, now I understand.”

“WOULD YE LISTEN TO ME!” Duncan shouted, obviously offended that neither Charlie or Ophelia seemed to be taking him seriously.

“Actually, I think you should calm down and listen to me,” Charlie said evenly. Duncan sputtered a few times before Oliver smacked him on the back. “I care for Ophelia. Truly.” He looked over at her, smiling. Ophelia felt her stomach do flip-flops. “Deeply.” He then turned back to her brothers. “And I’m taking this very seriously, but if I’m being truthful, our relationship is none of your damn business.” Duncan’s mouth dropped open as Ophelia snorted, and then attempted to cover her laughter. 

If there was anything to make this situation worse, it was likely laughing at her irate brother.

“But for what it’s worth, you both know I’m not the sort to run around breaking hearts. I’ll be good to her, I promise,” Charlie vowed, squeezing her hand. Emboldened, Ophelia smirked down at her brothers’ stunned faces.

“Now as wonderful as this has been, Charlie and I need to get to work. Love ye toads,” Ophelia said, standing and pulling Charlie up with her. He started towards the door, but Ophelia stopped him, pulling him back as she grinned.

Charlie raised his eyebrows in question, but Ophelia only pulled him closer, kissing him.

“Where did ye go? Phillie, are ye still there?” Duncan shouted. “Get back here! I’m no done! Ye best not be snogging! CHARLIE, DO NOT SNOG MY LITTLE SISTER!”

Charlie broke the kiss with a laugh and rolled his eyes.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said. “Reckon they’ll keep on for an hour if we let them.”

“Please,” Ophelia begged.

~~~

Charlie glanced over at Ophelia as they walked down the trail. She was smiling softly as she looked up into the sky, watching a couple dragons as they flew overhead.

“So, ehm, just why did you contact your brothers this morning?” he asked. “Take it you were not intending to tell them about us.”

Ophelia looked over at him and sighed before turning her focus back to the trail.

“Well… so while I was getting supplies, I ran into Adara and she had a few words to share with me,” she admitted, her cheeks turning pink. She saw Charlie frown out of the corner of her eye.

“What did she do?” he asked, his voice angry.

“Oh, it’s nothing to get all worked up about,” Ophelia said, gripping the straps of her knapsack as she looked down at the ground. She was rather embarrassed to admit that she allowed Adara’s lies to get to her. Enough that she had contacted her brother. “Just… she said it wouldna last and that once I left ye’d forget about me and go back to her. Ye always go back to her...” 

“Fuck’s sake,” Charlie muttered. 

“And I know that it’s not true. I do trust ye, just… had a moment of weakness and needed to talk to someone. So flooed Oliver, forgetting I hadn’t told him yet. And then apparently Duncan was there - though I’ve no idea why,” Ophelia said, rushing through the story.

She heard Charlie sigh and then his heavy footsteps stopped. She stopped as well, looking over at him. A soft smile was on his face as he reached out for her and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her.

“I don’t want this to end when you go back to England,” he said firmly. 

“I know,” Ophelia said, burying her face in his shirt as she breathed in his scent.

“And I’m definitely never going back to Adara,” he added. Ophelia looked up at him. “Of that you can be absolutely certain. You, Ophelia Grace Wood, are stuck with me for the time being.” Ophelia chuckled.

“Ye sure about that, Charles Septimus Weasley?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at you. “Ye sure ye want to deal with my brothers?” Charlie laughed loudly as he tightened his grip on her waist. 

“Phillie, if I haven’t learned to handle them by now, then we would have been doomed from the beginning,” he said. “Besides, I’m far too smitten with you to back out now. It’s you, barmy brothers and all.” 

Ophelia grinned as she went up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly.

“Good. Now, I think we’ve some dragons that need tending,” she said, turning to start down the trail again, though she still tightly held Charlie’s hand.

“Ah, yes. That we do.”

~~~

Ophelia opened her eyes after Charlie had apparated them, looking around the small, hillside farm. The house was quaint with a stream of smoke rising from the chimney.

“So, they’ve seen a dragon?” Ophelia asked, looking up at Charlie.

“They think that one’s been getting into their livestock. Need to check in on it. See if it’s one of ours or another,” Charlie said, already walking up the path to the front door, Ophelia trotting to keep up with him.

“Does that happen often?” Ophelia asked.

“Not usually, though it’s happened on occasion. We’ve got a rather large spread of land for them to use with plenty of game. Shouldn’t be any reason for them to venture outside that for food,” Charlie said. “But this area doesn’t tend to get a lot of dragon activity, so if it isn't one of ours, then we should tag and watch it regardless.”

Ophelia nodded as they stopped in front of the door and Charlie knocked. It opened to reveal a middle-aged man who began speaking in rapid Romanian, looking relieved to see them. Ophelia’s eyes widened as she looked at Charlie, though he responded easily in the foreign language. They went back and forth a few times before the man stepped out and motioned for them to follow him.

“What’s going on?” Ophelia asked, looking up at him.

“Said he lost 2 goats over a span of three days,” Charlie said as the man led them around to a barn. Ophelia frowned, going through her knowledge of dragons as Charlie looked around the landscape.

“Where are we exactly?” she asked. 

“We’re up in the Carpathian Alps. Fair ways outside the sanctuary,” he said. 

“Might be dealing with a juvenile - dare say a full-grown dragon would take a lot more than just two goats,” Ophelia said.

“That’s what I was thinking,” Charlie said as he stepped up to observe the damage to the barn door. The man spoke again, gesturing towards the barn and then up the slope into the forest. Charlie nodded and looked into the trees then back at the door. 

Ophelia bent down, sticking her fingers into the marks as Charlie continued talking with the man. Soon enough the two were shaking hands as Ophelia straightened up and Charlie turned towards the slope again.

“Fairly certain that it’s young and injured,” Charlie said. “Somewhere in that direction.”

“Since it’s come back twice?” Ophelia asked. Charlie nodded and then started walking, pulling his wand out. Ophelia quickly did the same, easily keeping up with him. 

“It’s got a small hunting radius,” Charlie said. 

“I think it’s Romanian Longhorn. Did the farmer get a good look at it?” she asked. Charlie raised an eyebrow at her.

“No, not really. Heard it more than anything. What makes you say that?” he asked.

“The marks. Didn’t look as though they were all claw marks. Probably gouged it open with its horns,” Ophelia said. Charlie smiled as he turned back to the slope.

“I’d ask if you want to bet on it, but I’d rather not bet against you,” he said. Ophelia chuckled, shaking her head as she scanned their surroundings. They were now into the forest, the farm becoming smaller behind them.

“You think it’s nesting this close to the farm?” she asked.

“Doubt it. Probably farther up in the mountain. I don’t see a lot of disturbances around here, so it’s flying at least,” Charlie said, looking around. “Looks like we’re getting a bit of a hike in today.”

Ophelia just nodded, resolve in her eyes as she started up the slope again.

A couple hours later, they were much higher into the mountain and Ophelia was starting to get a bit winded. They had yet to find the dragon, but were seeing more broken branches, signifying that something large had been in the area. Though she couldn’t tell how long ago.

She stopped and scanned the area, looking for a cave or some sort of hole where a young dragon might be burrowing in. 

“Phillie,” Charlie said urgently, his voice low. She stopped and looked over at him, his gaze fixed farther up the slope. She followed it, seeing a small clearing in front of a cave entrance. It didn’t look that large and a stream of smoke was coming out of the opening.

“You think that’s it?” she asked.

“Only one way to find out,” he replied. “Follow me. Be as quiet as you can and be prepared to stun it. If it’s injured, it could be rather nasty. If it’s young or severely injured, then we can probably take it down the two of us, but if not, I’ll need to call for backup.”

“Got it,” she said, nodding. 

They slowly made their way towards the clearing, Ophelia’s heart pounding. While she was now used to being around dragons, this was different. They were approaching a purely wild dragon that could be injured.

Charlie put his arm out to stop her as they reached the edge of the clearing, both of them peering into the cave. They saw a young Longhorn lying there, gnawing on a bone. It’s horns were still on the small size with one sawed off towards the root. Or at least, Ophelia thought it was young, but there was no way to tell as it was nearly skin and bones with obvious signs of abuse.

“My god,” she murmured, taken aback by the sight.

“Poachers. They like to take the horns. Though reckon he’s a fighter if he got away,” Charlie replied. 

“How are we going to get it back to the reserve?” she asked. 

“Stun it,” he said, studying the beast. “At least I think we can with only two of us. Just need to be quick about it.”

“What if we can’t?” Ophelia asked. Charlie looked over at her, a lopsided grin on his face.

“Just need a bit more confidence,” he replied. He then took a deep breath and turned back to the clearing. “Ready?”

“Yea,” she said. 

They both lifted their wands and on the count of three, both shot stunning spells at the dragon. As soon as they hit, it reared up, a loud roar erupting from its throat. It then leveled its eyes at the two and began flapping its wings.

Though it was young and malnourished, it was still a decent size dragon.

“Again, Phillie!” Charlie shouted. 

Ophelia began shooting spell after spell at the dragon, though it only roared more and started charging for them. Charlie shoved her out of the way, managing to dodge the dragon as it roared passed them. She hit the ground hard, but immediately rolled over and hopped back up to her feet as the dragon whirled back around, its glittery eyes fixed on her. It was now blocking her from Charlie.

For a moment she froze, forgetting just what it was that she should do. She shot another stunning spell which bounced off its horn. The dragon roared again and Ophelia knew she was only angering it more.

“Fuck, think, Ophelia,” she muttered to herself as she began backing up. 

She then noticed that its eyes were fixed on her. If she aimed right, she could hit it straight in the eye with a spell as its skin was proving too thick to bust. Just as it reared up again to charge, she shot the spell and watched as it hit the dragon as planned. The dragon stopped, dropping to all fours as it shook its head. It looked back at her and then slowly lowered itself to the ground, its eyes drooping closed.

Ophelia breathed a bit heavily as she stared at it, almost not completely believing that it worked. 

“Are you hurt?” Charlie asked, rushing up to her side. She looked over at him as he quickly looked her over.

“Just a few bumps, but I’m fine,” she replied. “Ye’re hurt.” He had a few small scratches on his face. 

He then started grinning down at her.

“That was brilliant,” he said, hugging her before he turned and made his way to the now sleeping dragon. “I think we can get it back now. Looks like the poachers did a number on him.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Ophelia asked, walking up to his side as he bent down. 

“Should be able to get him fixed up,” he said, turning to smile at her. “All thanks to you.” Ophelia blushed slightly.

“Come on, let’s get him back to the sanctuary…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got two chapters completed – though one I started last night – so, yay! And ended up adding another chapter because I realized it needed it. But I’m down to only the last two chapters and the epilogue left to write!
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	12. Just Say I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> *Love Scene Warning - though as before, you can skip past it and still follow the story.*
> 
> Charlie whisks Ophelia away for a romantic getaway her last weekend before she leaves Romania.

**Just Say I Love You**

Ophelia waved her wand and watched as the last of the supplies lifted into the air from the crate and then floated over to their respective shelves. Once they were down, she walked over and methodically straightened all of them, a feeling of satisfaction running through her. 

Sure, it wasn’t healing dragons, but it was still a job well done.

“Phillie! You finished up?” Charlie shouted as he stepped into the supply shed, a bright grin on his face. She turned to him and nodded, returning the smile.

“Ready for lunch?” she asked. He chuckled and then glanced out to make sure they were alone, before he stepped over to her and pulled her into his arms. “What’s this?” Ophelia asked after he kissed her.

“I’m kidnapping you,” he replied happily.

“Ah, well… ye no so good at it,” she replied, raising her eyebrows at him. “Not supposed to announce it, are ye?”

“I hadn’t got to the actual kidnapping bit yet. And thought you should be able to pack your things,” he replied. Ophelia laughed.

“Really no so good at it,” she said with a smirk. 

“Okay, fine, but I _am_ taking you somewhere. As soon as you pack for the weekend,” he said, starting to lead her out of the shed. 

“Where should I be packing for?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. “And I’m supposed to help out in the clinic this afternoon.”

“Not anymore,” Charlie said to her with a grin. Ophelia rolled her eyes slightly, though continued smiling.

“And Rupert?” Ophelia asked. “We’re supposed to leave him be?”

Since she had gotten the him under control, Charlie had given her the honor of naming the young dragon they had rescued, so she decided on a good, strong Scottish name – which had Charlie chuckling. He was now settled in a habitat near the camp and they both checked on him a few times a day. The dragon had grown a bit attached, as it was. Ophelia worried slightly how he was going to handle it when she left, though she knew Charlie would take care of him and get him prepared to go out in the world on his own again.

“The others are watching him, though we can pop by on our way out, if you like,” Charlie said easily. Ophelia laughed loudly, pulling him to a stop.

“Where are we going, Charlie Weasley?” she asked, eager to hear just what he had in mind for the surprise trip.

Charlie pulled in her into his arms, his expression as he gazed down at her making her knees slightly weak. Merlin, she had it bad for this man.

“On an adventure, Ophelia Wood.”

~~~

Ophelia kept up a steady pace, following Charlie through the forest and hills and finally up a steep slope. He still hadn’t told her just where they were going, only telling her to trust him. Ophelia couldn’t help as her anticipation grew the longer they hiked.

Knowing Charlie, she reckoned it would be amazing.

“Almost there. Just gotta get to the top of this hill,” Charlie said, looking back at her. “You doin’ alright?”

“Aye, I’m fine,” Ophelia replied, barely out of breath. “I’m no stranger to a hike.”

“I know,” Charlie said, grinning. “Which is why I thought this would be a perfect getaway for us. A chance to get away and just be alone.”

“Sounds perfect to me,” Ophelia said, smiling.

He stopped and turned back, holding out his hand and helping her over a few large rocks. He then pulled her up and looked out. Ophelia followed his gaze and felt the breath leave her. 

They were high up on a ridge deep into the mountains that overlooked a valley. Every so often she could see smoke rising from various farmsteads, but for the most part, the land was untouched and unclaimed. 

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, transfixed.

“Isn’t it? I come up where a lot to camp on my own,” he said, though his voice cut out suddenly. She looked over, seeing the red creep up his neck a bit.

“Ye do?” she asked. Charlie scuffed his boot against the ground, glancing at her a few times.

“You’re actually the first person I’ve brought here…”

“Oh,” Ophelia said, looking away as her cheeks began turning slight pink. Charlie had brought her to a beautiful ridge in the wilds of Romania – a place he enjoyed coming to on his own and had never shared with anyone else.

Merlin.

“Just… enjoy the view. I’ll get camp set up,” he said after quickly kissing her cheek. 

Ophelia walked over and sat on a large rock, drinking in the view. She had to admit that Charlie certainly knew the way to her heart.

But then the smile faded slightly. She was leaving in a week to go back to Britain.

She would miss the view, the dragons, Charlie. Everything. But at the same time, she didn’t want to ruin the weekend with thoughts of what was to come. Not when Charlie had gone through so much to make it happen.

Soon enough, Charlie had their tent and campfire set up, putting out two camping chairs next to the fire. Ophelia stood and walked over to one of the chairs, watching as he started about supper. The sun was starting to go down and while the temperature began to drop slightly. 

“What made you decide to kidnap me?” Ophelia asked.

“Figured we could stand to get away for a bit,” Charlie said, glancing at her. “Wasn’t that hard to convince Elena and Andrei to let us have the afternoon off. You’ve definitely made a good impression on them.” Ophelia looked away, blushing slightly. “And I, for one, think you earned it,” he continued.

“I’ve no doubt _ye_ have. Ye work more than anyone,” she said. “Do ye ever take holiday?” Charlie chuckled, his eyes trained on the fish he was currently frying over the fire.

“I do… well, not so often when I think about it,” he said, glancing at her. “But, I wanted to do something special your last weekend here.”

“Ye certainly accomplished that. This is just… amazing,” she said, leaning back in her chair and looking around at the nature around her. “I’m going to miss this place when I go back.”

“Ah, but Hebrides is beautiful as well,” Charlie said. Ophelia nodded and sighed.

“It is,” she replied. “But it’s not Romania.”

Charlie stood from the fire pit and walked over to her, pulling her up out of her chair. He then sat down and pulled her into his lap, kissing her cheek.

“And ye won’t be in Hebrides,” she said slightly sadly. 

“I told you, Phillie, this isn’t good-bye forever. We’ll still see each other. We’ll make it work,” he said softly. “But it’s not for a week more. No need to worry about it just yet.”

“True… we should focus on now,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “And right now, that fish smells amazing.” Charlie laughed and looked over at the pan.

“Lucky for you, it’s nearly done…”

~~~

Ophelia smiled as she leaned back into Charlie’s arms on the large, fluffy mattress he had set up outside the tent and looked up at the stars. It was quite possibly the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Her belly was full of food and they had finished a small portion of the firewhiskey which had also helped to warm her. While there was a bit of a chill to the night air, she couldn’t help but feel warm and a bit fuzzy lying in Charlie’s arms. A small, happy sigh escaped her lips.

“What’s that about?” Charlie asked, looking over at her. She met his eyes.

“Just... happy… I wish we had more time,” she said softly. She then frowned slightly. Right, they weren’t supposed to be talking about the future. Not tonight. Charlie tightened his arms around her.

“Like I said… when you go back, it’s not going to be the end of us,” he said softly. “This is just the beginning, Phillie.” She continued staring up at the sky. “We’ll visit and write.”

“I know… just not gonna be the same,” she said.

“Phillie…”

“I know,” she said with a sigh. “I’m ruining the moment.”

“You could never ruin the moment” he said, smiling down at her. “I’m just happy that I’m here with you. Right now. No interruptions”

A deep blush came over her cheeks as she stared up at him, a smile coming over her face. While she was still unsure of how things were going to work in the future, at least she had this moment. She lifted up slightly and kissed him.

“Same,” she whispered, looking deep into his eyes. Charlie stared at her a few moments as though he were thinking over something.

“I think I have a good way to distract you,” he said. Ophelia raised her eyebrows.

“Do tell,” she said, smirking slightly. Charlie rolled his eyes playfully.

“Mind always in the gutter…,” he said. Ophelia chuckled. “They call this place Dragon’s Head Ridge, because when you look at it from afar, it looks like, well, a dragon’s head,” he continued. Ophelia chuckled. “I know… not original, but… it’s said that long ago, when the first dragons arrived, there was one dragon that was larger than the others, a sort of dragon king, if you will.”

“Not a queen?” Ophelia interrupted. Charlie shot her a look but continued smiling.

“Suppose it could be,” he said. “Anyway, the other dragons saw it as their protector. But then men started coming into the land and they weren’t getting along all that well with the dragons. Not at first, anyway. But there was one man who managed to befriend the great dragon.”

“The first dragon tamer,” Ophelia interjected, thinking he was obviously making this up as he went.

“I suppose,” Charlie said. “This man tried to show the others that we could live in peace with dragons. There was no need to kill or hunt them down. And for a time, it worked. Until another man became determined to kill all the dragons. Starting with the great dragon.”

“That’s horrible,” Ophelia murmured. Charlie hummed his agreement.

“It’s said that the tamer helped lead the dragons to a magic place on this mountain where they would forever be safe and hidden from those who would harm them,” he said. “And the great dragon stood watch at the top of the mountain for so many years, that it eventually turned to stone, finally becoming one with the mountain.”

Ophelia sat up slightly, smiling.

“Ye just made that up, didn’t ye?” she asked playfully.

“No. It’s legend,” Charlie insisted, though he was grinning. Ophelia chuckled and shook her head.

“Aye, it is. Either way… it’s a nice story. Beautiful almost,” she said. He stared at her a few moments, a soft look in his eyes.

“Almost as beautiful as you…”

~~~

As Charlie leaned down to kiss Ophelia again, he couldn’t help but feel like everything had fallen into place. He was lying under the stars with an amazing woman in his arms. Not only was she funny, beautiful and kind, but she understood his love and passion for dragons.

It was usually the one thing that no one else got, even his own family and some of the other tamers. They didn’t understand the pull the country and the animals had on him. And for years, he thought he would never find someone who did understand and shared the same pull. But he could see it in her eyes that first day she arrived. When she saw her first dragon.

It was also in the way that she never shied away from the beasts, having a certain fearlessness about her. It was what had initially attracted him to her.

In the past, Charlie had always seen her as Duncan’s little sister. She was four years younger - had only been about 13 when he left Hogwarts and therefore not even on his radar. But then when he had seen her at Duncan’s party five years ago, she was suddenly no longer this young girl with her head in a book, chasing down some creature.

She was still young at the time - only a couple years out of Hogwarts. But it was the first time he saw her and realized she wasn’t a kid. When he found her stuck under the mistletoe with that Ravenclaw, he had done what he could to help her out until her twin had seen her and shouted out a joke to the rest of the party. Her face had turned bright red and he felt for her, knowing that she was completely mortified.

And yet, he couldn’t help but find it a bit cute how she looked when she blushed - something she seemed to do a lot.

After that party, Charlie found himself paying more attention to Duncan when he started going on about his younger sister. Following her journey through the Ministry. Hearing how she wanted to be on the dragon research team more than anything.

But still, she was always this far-off figure. Someone he heard about and didn’t know. Not really.

When he walked into the Ministry at Bucharest and saw her standing there, he realized that Ophelia was now a grown woman. Confident. Beautiful. And had the same passions that he did.

It had happened so quickly, but Charlie couldn’t ignore the deep connection that had somehow formed between them in just a few short weeks. But just as he was happy to be with her, there was something slightly scary about it. He couldn’t recall another woman he had felt this in tune with; didn’t think he’d find another. What if he messed things up? What if she wised up an ran off with someone else – someone better or at the very least who lived in the same country?

Charlie shook his head. He didn’t want to ruin this weekend with thoughts about his own insecurities. What was that about facing obstacles when they got to them? They weren’t at that one just yet, were they?

“What are you thinking about?” Ophelia asked softly, almost as though she could sense what was going through his mind. He smiled and looked down at her.

“You,” he said. Ophelia chuckled softly and rolled her eyes. “I’m serious.”

“Anyone tell ye that ye’re a romantic?” she replied. 

“You’re the first, actually,” he admitted. Ophelia snorted.

“I find that hard to believe,” she said.

“Suppose you just bring it out of me,” he said. Ophelia looked up at him a moment before pressing her lips against his. In the firelight, he could see the slight blush coming over her cheeks. 

The way she was looking at him had his stomach doing somersaults. He reached up and gently caressed her cheek, staring deep into her eyes. For not the first time, he found himself at a loss for words. 

Ophelia always seemed to be taking his words and his breath away.

So, he leaned towards her and kissed her. 

Ophelia wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair. Merlin, he loved the feeling of her fingers through his hair. It was enough to drive him mad and he couldn’t help as he deepened the kiss, pulling her closer. 

He then rolled slightly, now on top of her, though he made sure not to crush her. She seemed so tiny in his arms that at times he worried he could hurt her. But by the way she was enthusiastically kissing him back, he knew she was fine.

He moved his way to her neck, kissing the sensitive spot he now knew would have her melting in his arms.

“Charlie,” she gasped, arching against him. He couldn’t help as he smiled against her skin, feeling her hands running down his back and then up under his shirt. He moaned softly, her light fingertips sending chills up and down his spine. He could already feel himself hardening and wondered if she was just as hot as he was. 

He moved his lips back to her mouth, his hand moving to the front of her shirt and unbuttoning it as he lifted up from her. Once he had finished, he ran his hand under her tank top, making lazy circles with his thumb over her bra. Ophelia gasped as her eyes fluttered shut a moment.

She then looked up at him. He sat up, quickly pulling his own shirt off as Ophelia sat up and yanked off her own shirt and then pulled off the tank top. She then grabbed his neck, pulling him towards her as she kissed him hungrily. 

He could feel the chill of the night air on his back, but it quickly faded thanks to the fire and heating charms. As well as the fire that was already smoldering inside him. He kissed his way down her neck, feeling her run her fingers through his hair again.

Once he reached her cotton bra, he stopped and reached up, pulling the material down until her breasts were exposed. Merlin, she was beautiful. Ophelia sucked in a quick breath as the cold air hit her, but he bent down again quickly, taking one into his mouth as he ran the other nipple between his fingers. She gasped again, her back arching. 

“Merlin, Charlie,” she breathed, rubbing against him. He chuckled slightly causing a shiver to her run through her body that he could feel. He then continued down, leaving a trail of hot kisses down her stomach. As he neared the button of her denims, he felt her tense slightly. Stopping, he looked up at her, finding she was breathing heavily as she stared up at the night sky.

“Are you okay?” he asked, suddenly worried he was doing something wrong. Ophelia looked down at him, a faint smile on her face. 

“It’s… it’s fine… just… never had anyone…” she stopped, looking away as though she was too embarrassed to say it out loud. Charlie smiled slightly and pressed a gentle kiss just under her navel. 

“I won’t… if you don’t want to,” he said softly. He felt her fingers in his hair, pulling him gently to look up as she met his eyes.

“It’s… yes… I want it,” she said, barely loud enough for him to hear. “I trust you.” Charlie smiled as he undid the button, pulling her denims and panties down slowly, kissing down her legs as he went. 

Soft moans came from her lips as he began kissing back up, moving slowly and not wanting to scare or overwhelm her. Ophelia rubbed her thighs together and he could feel the warmth radiating from her core before he got close. He stopped at her knees, kissing one and then the other as he gently nudged them apart. He then kissed up the inside of one leg, before moving to the other. Gradually, Ophelia began to relax more, her legs falling apart for him.

She began shaking slightly as he neared her heated core. He then nudged his nose against her swollen clit as she moaned, this time a bit more loudly. He smiled a moment before taking into his mouth, sucking on it gently.

“Oh… Christ…” she moaned, her hips rising up to meet him. He sucked on it a bit more before dipping his tongue inside her, taking in her wetness. “Ch… Charlie…”

He set a steady pace, bringing his hand up and sliding a finger inside her as he returned to her clit. Her head fell back as she arched off the mattress, her hips matching his pace. 

Charlie felt himself become harder, becoming more and more turned on by her reaction to his touch. But he could wait for his own release. 

Her fingers snaked through his hair again, becoming more urgent as she pulled him closer. Reaching up, he held her hips in place with one hand, though he quickened his pace, adding another finger and curling them slightly as he stroked the spot deep inside her that had her legs shaking.

“Oh… fuck…” Ophelia hissed, her hips still moving as her legs closed around him. He chuckled and the sensation had her bucking more. He could feel that she was getting closer and began moving faster, encouraging her closer to oblivion.

It didn’t take long before her walls clenched around his fingers and he felt her begin to flow into his mouth as a strangled scream erupted from her lips. He didn’t stop, lapping as much of it up as he could. He then sat up, looking down as Ophelia breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling. A smile pulled across her face as she looked at him, though he wasted no time undoing his trousers, pulling them down and then settling back on top of her.

“My god, Charlie,” she murmured against his lips. He kissed her deeply, allowing her to taste herself on him.

Before she could fully recover, he reached down and positioned himself at her entrance, easily sliding in.

~~~

Ophelia thought she was seeing stars as Charlie slid inside her, her back arching as her body met his. Her eyes flew open as he began kissing her neck and her view became the night sky. Wrapping one leg around him, she brought her hips to meet his, easily finding his rhythm. 

Her body was already overloaded with everything. The feeling of Charlie sliding in and out of her, the waves of her last orgasm already starting to slowly build up into another one. His body against hers. His lips sucking at her neck. The stars shining above her. She held onto him tightly as his hand moved down her side and gripped her leg, before lifting it up and over his shoulder. 

She moaned, feeling him hit deeper inside her. 

Ophelia wasn’t sure what to focus on, so instead closed her eyes, allowing all of it to wash over her at once as Charlie’s pace sped up. 

“Merlin, Ophelia…” Charlie growled against her neck as her legs tightened around him. He then met her eyes, his blue ones now smoldering with fire. She could feel the same fire burning through her. 

Being with Charlie was far different from any other man she had ever been with, though it wasn’t as though she had a lot to go off of. But there was something about Charlie - he knew instinctively what to do to overwhelm her with pleasure in the best ways. They both knew how to move together, falling into synch without speaking.

“Merlin… I’m… I’m…” she murmured, the only words she could manage to get out. Charlie smiled as he took her mouth in a heated kiss.

“Let go,” he growled against her lips, now slamming into her. 

Ophelia screamed his name into the quiet night, no longer holding back or worrying about who would hear as pleasure shot through her body like electricity. She held onto him for dear life as he continued thrusting and then a deep growl rumbled through his body as he reached his own finish. 

When he stopped, Charlie closed his eyes a moment, leaning his forehead against hers as they both caught their breath. She could feel his heart beating in his chest, her own falling into sync with it.

~~~

Ophelia wasn’t sure how long they had been laying under the stars, but she found she didn’t much care. Time seemed to stop as they spent what felt like hours either talking, making love, or just staring up at the sky as comfortable silence settled around them like the warm blanket that covered them. All the while completely wrapped up in each other.

Ophelia wondered why she had never realized what a good listener Charlie was in all the years she had known him. She had assumed in school he was just another brash, loud Gryffindor like her brothers, not realizing he was introspective and far quieter than either Duncan or Oliver. When she spoke, she knew that he was listening.

She knew that she had never met anyone like him before – and likely never would meet anyone like him again. There was something safe about Charlie, despite the danger of his job. Something steady, but yet exciting at the same time.

Something that made her body hum in anticipation. As she lay there, studying his profile as he spoke fondly about the first dragon he ever cared for, Ophelia furrowed her brow, trying to put her finger on just what it was. That near indescribable thing that she felt when she was around him. Or even just thinking about him.

_“I think… I think I love him…”_

Ophelia’s eyes widened. Where had that come from? Surely that’s not what this feeling was. She couldn’t possibly be in love with him. She had only been in Romania in three weeks. It had only been one week since they had gotten together. Things like love took time to grow and develop.

Didn’t they?

But try as she might to push it from her mind or dismiss it as the side effect of Charlie being a satisfying lover, the more the words continued repeating over and over through her mind.

_I love him. I love Charlie. I love him._

She looked up at the sky, managing to stay relaxed in his arms, not wanting him to sense that anything was wrong

Christ, there was no way she could say the words out loud to him now. He would go running for the hills, likely thinking her some immature young girl who fell in love with a different bloke every week. Which was decidedly not Ophelia.

She had to keep her wits about her.

“Phillie?”

Turning her head quickly, she looked up at Charlie, just now realizing that he had asked her question, though she had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she missed it.

“Sorry… what was that?” she asked.

“Is something bothering you?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.

“Course not,” she said quickly. Charlie continued to study her, clearly not believing her. She then sighed, a sheepish smile coming over her face. “I mean… just trying not to think too much about going back…”

“Phillie…”

“I know, can’t help it,” she said with a sigh as she looked up at the sky. She felt Charlie run his thumb gently across her cheek and then guided her to look at him.

“Same,” he admitted, smiling slightly. “What a pair we make…” Ophelia chuckled as she snuggled closer to him before kissing him passionately. “Certainly, making sure that I won’t forget you when you leave, aren’t you?” he quipped afterwards, though he was slightly breathless, and Ophelia could feel his heartbeat speed up.

“Only repaying the favor from earlier,” she said. “Though… I think _I_ could use some more convincing…”

A wicked smirk spread across Charlie’s face as he rolled on top of her, pinning Ophelia down as she smiled up at him.

“Oh, trust me… after this weekend you’ll _never_ forget me…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back and forth a bit on whether to include the love scene I wrote for this chapter, after seeing how it flowed without it on FF.net, but then decided to go ahead since I spent a lot of time on it and I think it's sweet. Further showing how Charlie and Ophelia are connecting. And thought it might be good to see a bit from Charlie's perspective in this chapter.
> 
> There's a bit more drama coming up, so buckle up!


	13. The Thing About Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> After a run-in with Lazlo and an accident with Colonel, Charlie comes to a startling realization.

**The Thing About Love**

Ophelia stood at the table, double checking the last of the supplies in her bag. The rest of the weekend had passed by in a blur of fishing, hiking and spending time in Charlie’s arms. Despite her realization - and the subsequent fear that it brought - she hadn’t been able to actually speak to him about it. 

However, it didn’t detract from how magical the weekend had been. Regardless of the slight fear when it came to falling in love, in true Charlie fashion, he had gotten her to relax and enjoy the time they had together. And they kept to their word - neither brought up the future, though it was looming ever closer. So close that when she was alone, it was all Ophelia could think about. 

But now it was back to work. She needed to push her muddled thoughts on love, Charlie and the future aside for the time being. She was about to go out into the wild and care for dragons, after all. One needed to remain focused lest she end up seriously injured.

“Well, well, how was your little rendezvous this weekend?”

Ophelia glanced over her shoulder, watching as Lazlo walked into the supply shed, a smug grin on his face. She sighed heavily and returned to her task, ready to get out of there.

“Fine,” she said dryly, thoroughly ready to be away from Adara’s little minion. She wasn’t exactly sure what his game was in all this or why he would care about her and Charlie. She had made it clear long ago that whether she had started dating Charlie or not, she most definitely was not interested in Lazlo.

“See it was more than fine,” he said, now standing at her side and gazing down at her. Ophelia glanced at him and continued checking her bag. 

“We just went camping,” she said tensely, sliding the last bit of gauze into her knapsack and shutting it. 

“Let me guess… he took you to Dragon’s Head, didn’t he?” Lazlo said. 

Ophelia froze for a moment but then slid the knapsack on her back. She didn’t dignify it with an answer, knowing he was only trying to get under her skin. It was likely all the other tamers knew about the ridge - it wasn’t as though Charlie owned it or anything.

“Beautiful view, isn’t it?”

“It is,” she said, turning to walk away.

“He told you the story about it, didn’t he? Waited until the sun had gone down and the stars came out before enchanting you further?” Lazlo asked. Ophelia slowed and stopped, turning to face him as she frowned. “It’s what he does with all of them, you know? Adara… the interns… He takes them all there for one last romantic weekend away.”

Ophelia swallowed, reminding herself that it wasn’t true. That Lazlo was only playing Adara’s game and that Charlie wasn’t like that. He had told her himself that he didn’t ever take anyone there with him, which she firmly believed from the way he got nervous telling her. It was a place of solace and comfort, and he had wanted to share it with her. But… how did Lazlo know about all that? Lazlo grinned at her from where he was leaning against the worktable. He pushed off it and stalked towards her.

“Oh, sweet little Ophelia,” he said, reaching out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. She flinched and pulled her head back away from him. “You really believe everything he’s telling you, don’t you? So naive...”

“Ye don’t know anything about me or Charlie,” she spat, glaring at him. “Besides, I can’t understand why ye even care.”

Lazlo chuckled as he leaned towards her, his face so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. Ophelia backed up slightly, not appreciating the invasion to her personal space.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt… Driven mad by your very own Hamlet,” he said lightly, though the glint in his eyes told her he cared about anything but. “They all think that they’re the only one he’s cared about and that it’ll be them and Charlie Weasley forever. But it’s simply not the case. I’m trying to save you, really.”

“No, ye’re not,” she said, still glaring at him. “And Charlie’s no Hamlet.”

“But isn’t he? Though instead of obsessed by revenge, the only thing he cares about are dragons,” Lazlo replied. Ophelia didn’t reply, just scowled at him.

Lazlo stared down at her a moment before gripping her arms and spinning her around so that she was pinned against the table, his body pressing up against hers. Ophelia’s eyes widened as the breath left her.

“And… perhaps I do have a bit of a vested interest in this,” he said, looking her up and down. Ophelia’s eyes narrowed as she met his gaze, disgust rolling around in her stomach.

“And ye think this is the way to get me?” she asked with a snort. “I’m leavin’ soon. And when I leave, I’ll still be with Charlie. But I’ll never be with you.” She shoved him back and pushed past him.

“I may not get you, but I certainly know that it’ll never work out with Charlie,” he called out with a harsh laugh. Ophelia stopped for a moment and looked over her shoulder at him before turning and striding out of the shed, her head held high. 

She wasn’t about to let him see that his words had gotten to her. She and Charlie had talked about this. She _knew_ that he wasn’t going to forget her when she left, that they were going to try and make this work - regardless of whatever past he may have had. But she couldn’t help as a sliver of worry slipped in. 

Even though they had said they would try, that they wanted to make it work, that was no guarantee that it would. What if the distance was too much? What if it was true that the only thing Charlie cared about was dragons and he would soon forget about her? Give up?

Shaking her head, she continued on, looking for Charlie. They needed to get to work.

_“He cares about you. About this,”_ she scolded herself. _“Ye’ll make it work… ye are in love with him, ye git, or did ye forget about that?”_

Ophelia’s inner rant continued until she found him waiting for her in front of his cabin - where they were set to meet. He wasn’t facing her, his back tense. But just the sight of him sent relief through her and a smile came over her face. 

Lazlo was just trying to get to her, that was all. None of it was true. Everything would be fine. 

“Hey,” she said softly, reaching out for his arm. Charlie flinched slightly at her touch, which she found a bit odd, but then he turned and saw her, his warm, familiar smile coming over his face.

“Ready?” he asked. Ophelia nodded. 

“Let’s go.”

~~~

As the couple worked on Rupert, Ophelia couldn’t help but think that something was off with Charlie. While he was always focused around dragons, he was a bit quieter this time. Wasn’t smiling as much or jesting around. Like he usually did. A bit of worry settled in her stomach as she went through a long list of what could be wrong. Maybe he didn’t sleep well?

No, couldn’t be it. She stayed with him last night and he had slept like a log. Perhaps bad news from home? But he would tell her if something was wrong with his family, this she knew. 

They finished with Rupert and were now making their way to Colonel’s cave and she still was no closer to finding out what had him pensive.

“Is everything alright, Charlie?” she finally asked, reaching for his hand. He pulled his away and then stopped, shaking his head slightly as a tense smile filled his face. He reached down and took her hand, squeezing it.

“I’m fine,” he said, his voice slightly strained.

“You sure? You don’t look or sound fine,” she replied, pushing him to tell her what was the matter. 

“I’m fine,” he said, this time a bit firmly. 

“Very well,” she said with a sigh, her brow furrowed. 

Something most definitely was wrong. But what? 

She then thought back to what Lazlo had told her. He took every witch to the ridge. She couldn’t help as the weekend lost a bit of its luster, though just as furiously, she told herself that it wasn’t true. That Charlie had been telling her the truth when he said that he only went there alone.

That she was the only other person he had taken there with him.

“Charlie,” she started, though she wasn’t sure what to say next. Part of her wanted to push it aside, to not let it get to her. To show him that she did truly trust him even if he hadn’t been there to witness the interaction with Lazlo. But the worry and fear were starting to build up. 

Charlie stopped and looked down at her, now sensing that something was off with her.

“What, Ophelia?” he asked. She looked up at him, a bit confused as to why he appeared hurt. She shook her head and smiled.

“Nothing, it’s fine,” she said. He stared at her a moment longer and then turned back to the path ahead of them, a heavy sigh on his lips. 

Ophelia frowned as they continued walking in silence. Just last night everything had been fine. Wonderful. They spoke openly and easily with each other. How did she allow one silly, stupid conversation with Lazlo turn everything on its head?

“How was your chat with Lazlo?” Charlie then suddenly asked. Ophelia glanced over at him, her eyebrows raised slightly. He had overheard them? Was that what had him upset? Bloody hell, that was easily fixed.

Relief filled her slightly now that she at least knew why he was upset.

“He’s a bloody tosser,” she grumbled. Charlie glanced down at her. “Willna miss him when I leave.” She then glanced up at him nervously. “Ye know… I don’t take what he says to heart…”

Charlie didn’t reply, though his jaw clenched slightly. She couldn’t help but frown. What was his problem? She just told him that she didn’t believe anything Lazlo had told her. Granted, she was still struggling a bit with it, but that was something for her to figure out on her own, she supposed. 

She didn’t want to have to constantly beg Charlie for reassurance. 

“We’re here,” Charlie said, directing her focus on Colonel’s cave. They stopped and Charlie let go of her hand, moving towards the cave in a steady stride. 

The large dragon popped his head out of the cave entrance, his violet eyes fixed on Charlie as his body remained still. Immediately, Ophelia could see clearly that the dragon was not having a good day. What she didn’t understand was why Charlie didn’t.

“Charlie,” she called out, gripping her wand tightly. “Think you should-”

“I think I know what I’m doing,” Charlie said sternly, cutting her off. Ophelia continued watching Colonel as the dragon lifted its head, his eyes fixed on Charlie. 

Normally he was more gentle with Colonel, approaching him slowly and with a smile and light words, coaxing him out of the cave. Right now, he was practically storming up to him.

Ophelia started after him, knowing she was going to have to stop him or do something before Colonel struck. 

“Seriously, Charlie. Can ye no see that he’s agitated,” she said, keeping her voice down, but loud enough for him to hear. She didn’t want to set Colonel off anymore. 

The dragon was now half out of his cave, his claws digging into the ground.

“Oh, and you’re such an expert at body language now?” Charlie shot back, stunning Ophelia enough that she stopped. What the bloody hell had gotten into him?

A low growl got her back on track. She looked back to Colonel, seeing that he was flapping his wings as he fixed Charlie in a cold stare. Though she hadn’t been working with the dragon as long as Charlie, she knew what he was about to do as smoke wafted out of his nostrils.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” she nearly shouted, taking off for Charlie at a sprint as Colonel reared his head back and roared. 

At least that finally got the ginger man to stop, his eyes wide as he looked up at the dragon. Ophelia pushed herself to go faster. Just as Colonel lowered his head towards Charlie and flames began pouring out, Ophelia launched onto him, praying she apparated them away in time.

They landed on the ground with a hard thump and Ophelia shrieked in pain. Charlie sat up, his eyes wide and face paling as he looked down at her. She managed to ignore the pain in her arm long enough to look up at him. Other than a bit of soot on his face, he seemed fine.

“Ye git,” she said, breathing heavily. “But at least ye not hurt.”

“Oh god, Phillie,” he said, bending over her and reaching out to her arm. 

“Sure it’s not that bad,” she panted, though truthfully, she didn’t want to look at herself. She could smell her burnt clothing and singed flesh. That along with the pain was enough to make her want to pass out. 

She squeezed her eyes shut as Charlie took her arm in his large hands, pulling aside the shreds of her jacket and sleeve to better inspect her burn. 

“Thought I got us away in time,” she said, her eyes still closed. 

“You did mostly,” Charlie said.

Ophelia opened her eyes and looked up at him, seeing his face filled with anguish.

“Merlin, I’m so sorry, Phillie,” he said, his voice catching.

“Ye can thank me later. Just get me to the bloody clinic,” she said through gritted teeth. A serious look came over Charlie’s face as he nodded and then stood, lifting her up into his arms easily.

“Hold on, Phillie.”

~~~

Charlie couldn’t stop pacing as he watched the healers work on Ophelia. She had shrieked bloody murder when they pulled off her jacket and then shirt, some of it having melted into the large burn that took up the entire upper half of her right arm.

He had tried to help, but Lottie ordered him out as he was getting in the way more than doing anything good. But he refused to leave, so instead she allowed him to pace on the other side of the room while she looked after her.

His heart was ripped to shreds. This had been his fault. 

He had walked into the supply shed to check on what was taking Ophelia so long, just in time to see Lazlo bending down over her as she leaned against the table. He knew that he should have confronted him rather than turn and run. But it wasn’t the first time he had walked in on a similar situation. 

Instead then, Adara had her legs wrapped around him and was grinning. Even though she and Charlie had never said they were anything official, it had still hurt him deeply. Enough that when he saw Lazlo leaning against Ophelia, his mind had been taken back to that day.

He had run then too.

And then rather than been an adult about it, he had refused to discuss it with her. Allowed his temper to simmer to the point that he had gotten distracted around Colonel - agitated him - and nearly got the both of them roasted in the process. And yet, in the midst of it all, she had jumped in to save _him_.

He felt like the world’s largest prat and completely undeserving of calling himself Ophelia’s boyfriend. 

“I know it hurts, but I really need you to hold still, otherwise I’ll have no choice but to knock you out,” he heard Lottie say.

Charlie stopped pacing and looked over, seeing Ophelia turning her head away, her eyes squeezed shut as tears trekked down her cheeks, leaving paths of pale skin in the soot. She was breathing heavily as Lottie poured a mixture on the burnt flesh, her knuckles white where she was gripping the sheets on the cot.

Immediately, he was at her side, kneeling next to her as he took her hand. Ophelia’s eyes flew open as she met his.

“It’s alright. If you break it, Lottie’ll heal me,” he said, a slight smile on his face. He swore he saw a faint one cross Ophelia’s before she clamped her mouth shut and gripped his hand tightly, obviously trying hard not to shriek in pain again.

“Alright, worst is over,” Lottie said lightly. Charlie looked over, seeing that she was bandaging up Ophelia’s arm. “I’ll give you a pain potion, but it’s likely to smart a bit for a couple days. And you’ll have a lovely new battle scar, but no other lasting damage.” 

The witch then gathered up her supplies and walked back to the supply room to get the potion, leaving the two alone.

“Merlin, I’m so sorry,” Charlie said, feeling rather disgusted with himself. Ophelia looked at him, her eyes questioning him. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I saw you two earlier… and rather than talk about it like a normal human, I…”

“Misread the situation and turned into a wanker?” Ophelia finished for him. He nodded, looked away, unable to meet her eyes. 

“It’s happened before… back when Adara and I were… you know… I walked in on them,” he said softly. “That’s when I ended things… but still. I knew that you weren’t… Merlin, I’m such a fucking arse.” There was silence, but he could feel her squeeze his hand.

“I’m no too innocent either,” she said softly. “He was… he said that I wasna the only ye had taken to the ridge. And I should’ve asked you outright, but I didnae. I was scared that he was right.”

Charlie looked up at her, seeing that she was now staring at her lap, her cheeks reddening slightly. She then sighed and looked up, a wry smile on her face.

“We are a pair, aren’t we?” she asked. Charlie chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair.

“You really are the only person I’ve taken there,” he said earnestly. “The others know about it, but I’ve never taken anyone there with me - I swear. And well, Andrew came up with the shoddy story… Merlin, I couldn’t even make up my own, I had to steal his…”

“I know… well, actually, yes, I knew that story was a load of bollocks. But I do believe ye that I’m the only one,” she said. “And ye know that I care for Lazlo about as much as I care for bubotubor pus.” Charlie chuckled and nodded.

“I do,” he said. He then leaned forward and kissed her. “I swear, we’ll make this work, Phillie.” He stared into her eyes as hers started glistening slightly as she nodded.

“Aye, we will,” she whispered. 

Relief flooded through Charlie. He hadn’t royally fucked this up before they even really had a chance. Though he knew he was going to spend her remaining days at the sanctuary making it up to her that she had gotten injured because of him and his hissy fit. 

He hadn’t realized what she was doing until he felt her wrap her arms around him from behind, twisting him back towards her as the flames rushed at them. She had then apparated them far from Colonel’s enclosure. Part of Charlie felt like he didn’t deserve her forgiveness for how he had been acting. 

And yet, here she was after getting a massive, painful burn on her arm, holding his hand and smiling at him as though it was a paper cut and it hadn’t been his ruddy fault that it had happened in the first place. Promising that they would make their relationship work despite the distance.

_“Merlin… I’m never going to find another woman like this,”_ he thought to himself. _“I… I love her.”_

Charlie was thankful that Lottie had returned with the pain potion and Ophelia was currently gagging slightly as she took it, lamenting the taste. He was sure that his face had gone slightly ashen or he had made some sort of expression. He quickly looked away, his mind reeling.

Was it possible? After all these years, he, Charlie Weasley, had finally fallen in love? 

Sure, there had been one or two women before that he had thought loved or had gotten close to falling for. But none of those relationships been like this. So natural. Like breathing, almost. Though it was proving that it would need some work as well. But it was work he was more than willing to take on.

“You sure I don’t need to look you over, Charlie? Neck is looking a bit red,” Lottie said, bringing him out of his reverie. 

He looked up at the two women, both of them studying him, though Lottie had a small smile on her face while Ophelia just looked worried.

“I’m fine,” he said, smiling at them. “No need to look me over.”

“Alright. Think you can get our patient here to her cabin? Recommending the rest of the day off. The pain potion is likely to make her a bit drowsy and loopy,” Lottie said, turning her gaze to Ophelia.

“I can get back on my- whoop!”

Ophelia giggled slightly, tossing her head back as Charlie lifted her up into his arms. Seemed the pain potion had kicked in. 

“My pleasure,” he said, smiling down at her. Ophelia laughed again, throwing her arms around his neck as she started babbling about how Charlie was supposed to be this big strong dragon tamer and she had been the one to save his arse.

As he walked her to her cabin, he couldn’t help the swarm of conflicting emotions running through him, though he chuckled and smiled at her slightly drugged antics. But two truths came to the forefront of his mind.

He was in love with Ophelia Wood. And part of that terrified him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I would go ahead and post the companion chapter to the last one – where Charlie realizes that he’s falling in love with Ophelia. Still need to work on finishing up this story. So close.
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	14. No Good at Good-byes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Ophelia is back in Britain, but her heart is still in Romania.

**No Good at Good-bye**

Ophelia sighed as she looked at her clothes in her wardrobe and her various other things strewn about the cabin. It wasn’t a mess by any means, but suddenly she felt as though she had far too many things. She had stayed with Charlie last night, not wanting to think about the fact that she was going back to England today. They had been up half the night, talking or sometimes just holding each other. All the while, managing to put off the fact that she was leaving.

But she could no longer avoid it. Her portkey was that afternoon and she’d have a difficult time making it as it was if she didn’t get to work packing up her things.

It wasn’t like her to leave such tasks to the last minute, but she blamed that on Charlie. He had been very good at distracting her the last few days. At first, he was waiting on her hand and foot until she finally shouted that Colonel hadn’t eaten her arm and she could use it. Then, when they weren’t working, they went out to all the various dragons that Ophelia had helped with so she could tell them her good-byes. 

Rupert and Colonel had been particularly difficult, but Charlie assured her that soon Rupert would be back out on his own and doing just fine. And that once Hebrides was up and running - as he was convinced she’d get that going in record time (Ophelia wasn’t so sure herself) - he would help deliver Colonel back home.

But… Ophelia knew that part of her didn’t want to leave Romania. Not yet. Sometimes she’d daydream about quitting her job at the Ministry and getting a job as a tamer here. But then she’d shake that off, reminding herself about Hebrides.

However, Ophelia was certain she’d leave a part of her here when she left. And while she told herself it was the country and the dragons, she knew more than anything it was because of Charlie.

“Ah good, you _do_ need help.”

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Ophelia turned, smiling as Charlie walked into the cabin, looking around at her things.

“Ye sure that ye’re here to help?” she asked playfully as he walked up and pulled her into his arms. “Rather, I’m certain ye’ve been helping me avoid it.”

“I’ve helped you all week after you got burned,” he said, frowning down at her. Ophelia chuckled slightly, then worried at how her brothers were going to react to that. Maybe she could hide her scar and never tell them.

“True… but lately ye’ve kept me at yers when we’re not working,” she said, raising an eyebrow at him. Charlie sighed.

“Yes, yes, we can’t let you miss your portkey this afternoon, can we?” he said, though she could hear the glum note in his voice despite his smile. 

“Aye, ‘tis true,” she said softly. 

He stepped back and cupped her face, staring down into her eyes for a moment before kissing her deeply. It took her breath away and for a few moments all Ophelia could think of was that she didn’t want this to end. Forget her portkey. She wanted to stay in Romania forever with Charlie. They could eventually take over the reserve when Elena and Andrei retired. It painted a happy picture in her mind, though the seriousness of it shocked her. 

Ophelia had never really thought of staying with someone long-term, but there was no denying it now. She wanted to be with Charlie for as long as she could.

But then the logical side of her brain kicked in and reminded her that she had to go back. If she didn’t, who would deliver the reports on Hebrides? Help the powers that be get it up and running? That was the whole point of coming here, was it not? To learn how the Romanian sanctuary was run so that they could hopefully replicate that in Hebrides.

So, with great reluctance, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away, smiling sadly up at him.

“Keep that up and I’m sure to miss my portkey,” she said breathlessly. Charlie chuckled and then looked around the room.

“Should get started then. Don’t think it’ll take long with the two of us,” he said, stepping back from her. Sighing, Ophelia did as well, pulling out her wand. 

With the two of them, it _was_ going by rather quickly. But then Charlie would stop every so often to pull her into his arms and kiss her. Managed to distract her for a good 10 minutes by snogging her senseless until she had to push him away again. But finally, her suitcase was packed, and the cabin was as clean as it was when she arrived. 

Ophelia shrank her suitcase down and stuck it in her knapsack with the rest of her things, taking a moment to go around and make sure that she hadn’t missed anything from her small home for the month. 

“Well, that wasn’t so ba,” Charlie said. “Still don’t have to leave for another few hours.”

“True, but ye weren’t helpin’ so much as ye were hinderin’,” Ophelia said, giving him a cheeky smile. Charlie stared at her a moment before suddenly throwing her over her shoulder, causing her to shriek and laugh.

“Perhaps this was the _real_ reason I wanted to get the work out of the way first,” he said, his voice low. Ophelia felt a shiver run through her body in anticipation. 

“Aye, but I’m already dressed and ready,” she said softly, raising an eyebrow at him, though she couldn’t help as excitement ran through her. Despite her words, she was more than happy to fall into bed with Charlie one last time before she left. 

Though she knew it would only make leaving all that much harder, it was a willing price to pay. 

“We have more than enough time,” he said, already walking towards her bed. 

“Well… if ye say so…”

~~~

As soon as they stepped into the Ministry of Magic at Bucharest, Ophelia felt the lump form in her throat. She tightly gripped Charlie’s hand, not wanting to look at him lest she start crying. Again.

She had cried a bit last night after he fell asleep. And then again this morning in the shower and still again as she said good-bye to the rest of the camp. She had managed not to when they were alone, but she knew she was going to before she left here.

They made their way to the international travel department and then through customs and immigration. Then, all too soon, Ophelia was handed a portkey - it was a small key - and she stepped over to the space where it would activate without accidentally taking someone else with her. She had a manner of minutes.

She looked up at Charlie, who stepped over and held her face as he kissed her gently.

“I’ll write. You’ll write. I’ll come visit. You’ll come visit,” he said softly with a smile. “This isn’t good-bye… Only… until next time.”

“I know,” she whispered, already feeling the tears start to fill her eyes though she was smiling. He held onto her a few more moments, caressing her cheeks before pressing another kiss to her lips.

She was on the verge of saying it. Wanted to more than anything, but for some reason, Ophelia couldn’t get the words out. It was just three small words. So easy to say, usually. She had told her family and friends it all the time. Said it flippantly even. So why couldn’t she say it to Charlie right now?

_“Just do it… I love you, Charlie… it’s not that hard,”_ she heard the Daria part of her mind say.

_“I just… I can’t…”_

She could feel the buzz of magic start up as Charlie let go and stepped back from her. Anxiety welled up inside her that moment. So strong, she nearly stumbled under the weight of it.

No, it was too soon. She didn’t want to leave. Not yet. She wanted more time.

Ophelia swallowed and opened her mouth, but again no words would come out as she maintained her gaze with Charlie. His face twisted into pain a bit as he looked away. Then he looked back at her, his eyes blazing something fierce as he took a step towards her, his hand out.

“Ophelia, I-”

Before she could hear the rest of what he was going to say, there was a tug at her navel. And then suddenly Bucharest was gone. 

Ophelia stumbled slightly as she kept her eyes closed a few moments as the lightheadedness from traveling by portkey passed. She then opened her eyes and looked around at the bustling Ministry of Magic in London. She was home.

But she still felt as though she had left a large part of herself back in Romania.

~~~

“Ophelia!”

Ophelia stopped in her packing, looking through her open bedroom door down the corridor where she could see Daria already walking to her, a grin on her face. Ophelia was honestly surprised that Daria hadn’t been waiting to ambush her at the Ministry.

Though part of her hoped she could have had a bit more time to herself to process everything. Ophelia was still reeling from that final moment in Bucharest when she couldn’t bring herself to tell Charlie that she loved him.

“It’s so good to see your face. I’ve missed you!” Daria said as she threw her arms around her neck. Ophelia hugged her best friend back, suddenly grateful for the contact. While she was missing Charlie, part of her was happy to be home and somewhere familiar.

Though Merlin, it felt as though it had been a lifetime since she was here. And that she wasn’t the same person as before. 

Daria stepped back, grinning at her. 

“Okay, so tell me everything,” Daria said as she flopped down on Ophelia’s bed. “And where is the motley crew?” Ophelia chuckled as she rolled her eyes.

“Maw is bringing the wee’uns over tomorrow to give me a chance to unpack and catch my breath before I go back into work. And you know already everything,” she said, returning to her unpacking. “We spoke nearly every day I was gone.”

“I know _some_ things. But how did your good-byes go?” Daria asked, her eyes twinkling. “And there are some things I _know_ that you haven’t told me yet… So, start dishing. I want to hear _all_ about Mr. Weasley.” She waggled her eyebrows, causing Ophelia to laugh, though her cheeks flushed pink.

“Wasna that fun - the good-byes, I mean,” Ophelia said with a sigh, her brow furrowed slightly as she thought to the moment in the Ministry in Bucharest. It was killing her that she had disappeared before she said it - before she heard what he was going to say.

Had he been about to tell her that he loved her?

“What happened?” Daria asked, sitting up. “That look doesn’t look like a deliriously happy one…”

“Nothing, just… I didn’t tell him that I loved him,” Ophelia said, swallowing. Daria’s eyes widened as her mouth dropped open.

Truth be told, Ophelia was a bit surprised she had just said it out loud herself.

“Holy Merlin, Ophelia! You’re in love with him?!” Daria exclaimed before she jumped off the bed, squealing as she wrapped her arms around her again, causing Ophelia to grimace in pain as she hit her burn. It didn’t hurt that much, but sometimes it still stung.

“Och, get off me,” Ophelia said, trying to push her back. Daria just kept laughing and held her tighter. 

“No! This is amazing!” Daria said, still hugging her. “It’s the first time you’ve been in love with someone!”

“Seriously, Daria,” Ophelia said, finally pushing her back, though she couldn’t help but smile. She felt good finally saying it out loud. At least now she knew that she could say it.

She was in love with Charlie Weasley.

But he was still in Romania.

Her smile fell slightly. 

“Oh, Ophelia, what’s this?” Daria asked. “You know you’re going to see him again. It’s not like you broke up or anything.”

“I know, just… long distance. It’s not going to be easy,” she admitted, suddenly feeling like crying again. Daria hugged her tightly again.

“It’ll be fine,” Daria said softly as she rubbed her back. “I mean, really… from what you’ve told me so far, I’m of the mind that if anyone is going to work out, it’s going to be you and Charlie.” She then stepped back and started leading Ophelia out of her room.

“What are you doing? I was unpacking,” Ophelia said with a chuckle. Daria waved her wand Ophelia’s knapsack was rising into the air behind them.

“We’re going to sit down with some tea and you’re going to show me all the photos I know that you’ve taken and tell me about how wonderful Charlie Weasley is,” Daria declared. She looked back over her shoulder at Ophelia and winked. Ophelia chuckled and rolled her eyes. 

“Fine.”

~~~

Ophelia rolled her eyes when she heard her front door open again. She had finally gotten Daria to leave, happy to have some quiet and finish her unpacking. But she should have known that her brothers wouldn’t waste any time before they came over.

Probably to let her have a piece of their minds about this whole Charlie business. Well, they had another thing coming if they thought she was going to just roll over and take it.

She stepped out from her bedroom and into the living room, frowning at Duncan and Oliver. At least Oliver had the wherewithal to look mildly ashamed. 

“So… ye can show yer face ta me,” she said, crossing her arms, her eyes going from Oliver to Duncan.

“Och, we’re sorry, Phillie,” Oliver said. Duncan didn’t say a word, causing Oliver to smack him on the arm as he glared at him. He then turned back to Ophelia, his expression repentant. “Truly. For embarrassing ye and all. It was just… bit of a shock… It’s no that often ye have a boyfriend. Weren’t expectin’ to hear that ye’d be dating Charlie...”

“Suppose I can accept that,” she said, knowing that Oliver would be a miserable git until she forgave him. And it was sincere. She then turned her gaze to Duncan, her eyebrows raising. He was now frowning as he looked at the ground, unable to meet her eyes.

“Ye ken I’m an adult,” she said, now scowling. “I’m old enough to decide who to date.” Duncan sighed, finally looking up at her.

“Aye, but does it have to be my best mate?” he whined. Oliver punched him in the arm again. Duncan grimaced.

“Duncan James Wood!” Ophelia shouted. “Can’t ye just be happy for me!?” Duncan glared at Oliver as he rubbed his arm and then looked over at Ophelia, his expression softening. “I’m happy wi’ Charlie! And he’s happy wi’ me!”

“But-”

“No. No buts. We’re together and ye’re gonna have to accept it,” she said firmly. He finally sighed, rolling his eyes. 

“Fine… suppose I’ll be okay wi’ it… in time,” he replied. Oliver went to punch him again but this time Duncan jumped out of the way, whirling around to glare at him. “Ye were no too happy either!”

“Aye, but it’s Phillie! We can’t go around beatin’ up every bloke that looks at her or wants to date her!” Oliver shouted back. “And at least we know Charlie!”

The two brothers squared off, starting to get into the other’s face.

“Oh, no. The last time ye two got into a fight here, Herbert wouldna come out from under tha bed for a week and ye nearly broke my table!” Ophelia shouted as she ran and got in between them. “Ye can take it outside or calm down!” She glared back and forth between them a few moments before they both backed away.

“Sorry, Phillie,” Oliver murmured.

“Yea, sorry, Phillie,” Duncan replied.

It seemed the fight finally left them both. 

“Now, if that’s over, ye two hungry?” Ophelia asked. 

“No if ye’re cooking,” Duncan said with a snort. Ophelia narrowed her eyes at him and then chuckled.

“I was hopin’ Ollie here would cook,” she said, looking to her twin.

“Aye, I could,” he said. “Was hopin’ to hear all ye’re stories. I mean, the ones about dragons, ye ken? Not… the others.” A flush came over his cheeks.

Ophelia flushed slightly as well as she rolled her eyes, though watched Duncan out of the corner of her eye. He glared slightly and then huffed.

“I’m no so sure I ever want to hear those stories,” he said. 

“I’m no too keen on tellin’ ‘em to ye numpties. But I will tell ye about the dragons,” she replied. “Ollie, ye get the food. I’ll get the photos.” She started towards her room.

“And I’ll get the firewhiskey,” Duncan proclaimed. Ophelia snorted and shook her head.

“Ye spoken to Maw and Da?” Oliver shouted from the kitchen as she walked back to her room to fetch the photos she had taken.

“Ehm, no. Not yet. Though reckon Maw will either stop by or floo later,” she shouted back, snatching the box from her bed and turned to walk back. 

“Surprised Maw wasn’t here when you got back,” Duncan said, already seated at the table with three glasses and a bottle of firewhiskey. “Ye bring presents?” Ophelia rolled her eyes as she put the box down.

“No so sure you deserve ‘em,” she said as she sat next to him.

“Especially when she hears-”

“Shut it, Ollie!” Duncan shouted, cutting him off. Ophelia frowned, slightly confused. Her eyes then widened as she hopped to her feet.

“DID YE TELL THEM ABOUT CHARLIE?!” she screeched, causing him to wince and cover his ears.

“Sound like a fuckin’ banshee, Phillie,” he said. Ophelia looked up into the kitchen to Oliver.

“Let it slip during our last lunch,” he said, grinning. He always did enjoy it when Ophelia was angry with Duncan rather than him. 

She turned her scowl to Duncan and swatted him on the back of the head.

“Och, that hurt!” he shouted.

“Ye deserve more than that, ye dobber!” she shouted.

“I didn’t tell them ye were datin’!” Duncan shot back as Oliver laughed from the kitchen. 

“Ah, then what did ye tell them?” Ophelia asked.

“Just that… well… may want to expect Charlie Weasley comin’ round for Christmas this year,” Duncan said. Ophelia huffed and sat back down, glaring at him. “And… well… hope they want ginger grandkids…”

“DUNCAN!” Ophelia shrieked.

“Yer face is like a skelped erse,” Oliver said, laughing from the kitchen. Ophelia turned her glare to him and immediately he spun around, returning to whatever cooking he had been doing. 

“Tell me ye didn’t say that,” she said, no longer shouting, but still simmering.

“Och, ye honestly think I’d said that? I’m still pissed about the fact ye two got together behind my back,” he said. Ophelia rolled her eyes, only mildly relieved that he had only been taking the piss out of her.

“What did ye say?” she asked. 

“I didna say what it was, but they both ken I wasna too happy about somethin’ ye were getting up to in Romania,” Duncan said. “Likely guess it’s somethin’ to do with a bloke.”

“So, they don’t know that it’s Charlie?” she asked, her eyebrows rising. Duncan shrugged, suddenly appearing much more relaxed. 

“Ye ken Maw. She and Mrs. Weasley are thick as thieves. Wouldna be surprised if the two of ‘em put it together by now,” he replied, pouring out the drinks. “Now… a dram for wee Phillie who’s returned with all her limbs.” 

Ophelia glared at him a moment and then found herself smiling as she took one of the glasses. 

He may be a bampot, but Duncan was her brother and she loved him. 

“Good to have ye back, Phillie,” he said genuinely. She sighed and took a drink.

“Good to be back…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! I’m almost finished writing this. Hoping to get it finished up after my wine tasting this afternoon (gotta love running a magazine). 
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	15. Back to the Grind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Now that Ophelia's back in the office, she's about to get a lot more responsibility than she thought she'd get...

**Back to the Grind**

Ophelia gulped down her tea and then looked down at the pile of paperwork on her desk, blinking blearily. She had gotten into the office a couple hours early so she could finish up and then submit the final report as soon as her boss got in that morning, but she already felt as though she had been working all day. 

Her arm stung a bit and she looked down at it, though her scar was hidden underneath her robes. It had faded to a faint pink, but still smarted here and there when her clothes rubbed against it. Immediately she was taken back to Romania and a soft smile came over her face for a moment. 

Charlie’s smiling face filled her mind, though it then shifted to that day when he took her to catch her portkey and the smile faded slightly. She was still kicking herself in the arse for not bucking up and telling him. But no matter, she’d get to it sometime soon. Hopefully. Truthfully, she had no idea when she would get to see him again. And it wasn’t as though they had been in contact since she returned. She had tried to write him last night, but wasn’t sure what to say so instead worked on her report.

“Ophelia!”

Ophelia looked up, seeing her co-worker, Leanne Greene rush into her office, her brown eyes bright with excitement. For the longest time before Ophelia finally joined the dragon research team, Leanne had been the only woman. However, she held her own and done a lot in the way of research. She was a studious girl a few years behind Ophelia in Hufflepuff who loved dragons and all creatures with the same passion that Ophelia did, though she rather spend her time in libraries or a lab than out in the field.

That she was eager to leave to Ophelia.

“You’re here early. Trying to make a good impression now that you’re in the office?” Leanne asked, walking over and sitting in a chair on the other side of Ophelia’s desk, an eager look on her face.

“Wanted to get this final report ready before Mr. Larkins showed up,” Ophelia said, smiling a bit tiredly.

“Really top-notch work while you were away. It's going to go a long way in the final proposal,” Leanne said. “But… how was it? Working with real dragons?” 

Ophelia chuckled as she looked down at the photos she had brought in with her that morning. As she left shortly after being promoted, she had yet to bring in anything to decorate her office and decided today was as good as any. 

There was one of her and Daria, then another of her, Oliver and Duncan - miraculously they were both smiling and laughing and not trying to kill each other. But it was the last one that had her attention - she had taken it with Charlie while they were at Dragon’s Head Ridge, the two of them laughing and then gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Rather magical, actually,” she said, looking back up at her co-worker. Leanne grinned and then glanced back out the open door towards the main office. She turned to Ophelia once she saw they were alone, leaning towards her.

“And… the tamers… are they really as handsome as everyone makes them out to be?” she asked, her voice in an excited whisper. 

Ophelia chuckled again, shaking her head slowly, though she once again thought about Charlie. Merlin, it had only been a few days, but she missed him like crazy. She then looked back up at Leanne, who was still waiting on her answer.

“Some of them, yes. But they’re just there to do a job. Same as the rest of us,” Ophelia said, though a faint blush came over her cheeks. Leanne eyes widened, catching it.

“You met someone, didn’t you?” she asked excitedly. Ophelia blushed more.

“Not important right now,” she said, hearing the others starting to come in. She reached out and straightened her papers. “And I need to get this to Mr. Larkins.” She then stood and straightened her work robes, wishing she could go back to wearing denims and flannel every day. Far more comfortable than the work attire she normally wore.

Picking up the papers, she strode out of her office and over to Mr. Larkins’, seeing his door open.

“Oi, Wood! Good to see you didn’t get eaten by a dragon!” one of her co-workers, Miles Bletchley called out. She stopped and looked over at him, raising an eyebrow.

She had known him since school - they had been in the same year and he was in the same house as Daria - but he had also been one of Flint’s cronies, so she hadn’t been around him all that much. She still wasn’t sure if she would like him or not, considering she had only come into the office to get everything for her trip before and had spent very little time there or talking to anyone outside of Leanne who helped organize the trip.

“Nearly got roasted savin’ another tamer, though,” she couldn’t help but say. She was the newest member of the team and felt she had something to prove, especially providing the rest of the team was made up of about 15 blokes. Bletchley’s eyes widened slightly, almost as though he was impressed. “By a Hebridean Black.”

“Merlin,” he said, a note of awe in his voice. “Seems you’re more like your brother than I thought.” Ophelia rolled her eyes slightly at the mention of her twin and turned to go into Mr. Larkins’ office. She figured there would be some mention of him at some point - she knew for a fact at least half the office was made up of quidditch fans.

“Sir, I have my final report,” she said. He turned to look at her and motioned her over. Ophelia held out the papers to him, watching as he quickly browsed through them and waiting to be dismissed.

“Really good work,” Mr. Larkins said, smiling at her. “Your reports were most excellent. Very thorough and the exact reason why I brought you onto the team and sent you to Romania.” 

“Thank you, sir,” Ophelia said, pride flooding through her. Merlin, this must be what Oliver feels when he wins a match - the rush and satisfaction over a job well done.

“And exactly why you’ll be heading up the proposal team,” he continued. Her eyes widened slightly. While she had expected to be on the proposal team, she hadn’t thought she would be leading it.

“But… sir… I’m just a junior member,” she said. “I thought one of the more senior members would be leading it.” Larkins put the papers down and smiled at her.

“We both know I did not bring you over to make you a junior member, not with your work record,” he said, sitting at his desk. “You’ll head up the team with Greene and Bletchley helping, though let me know if you need more. We present to the head of the magical creature department, the head of finance, and the Minister of Magic in two weeks.”

“Are you sure that’s enough time?” Ophelia asked, her mind suddenly flooded with all the work it would entail. Maybe she should ask for more people. Larkins just chuckled.

“More than enough! You’ve already done most of the work. Just need to do a bit more research, I think, and then put it all together in a way that the others will understand. Make them see why we _need_ to re-open Hebrides. Then once we’ve been approved, the entire department will be working on getting it up and running though we’ll need to set up a separate team just for that. A team that will need a leader as well.”

Ophelia had frozen in her place, still not quite believing what she was hearing. They had two weeks to come up with a way to convince the Ministry of Magic that they needed them to invest thousands if not millions of galleons into a dragon reserve. And there was a chance she could be heading up that team as well. It wasn’t until Mr. Larkins chuckled that she came back to reality.

“You’re more than qualified to do this, Wood,” he said. “Now… get to work.”

“Yes, sir,” Ophelia said. 

She then turned and walked out, a grin spreading across her face. Though she then frowned. While she was excited and eager to take it on, it wasn’t going to be easy. There was a lot of work to do if she were going to prove to not only the heads of the magical creature department and finance department but also the Minister of Magic that they needed to re-open the reserve and that the Ministry could afford it. 

She looked up, seeing Bletchley getting tea and joking around with some of the others.

“Bletchley,” she called out. He stopped speaking, looking over to her. “I need ye and Leanne in my office, please.” She was surprised at the authority in her voice. Merlin, she had been head of the team a manner of minutes and she was already sounding like her brother when he led quidditch practice.

He gave her an amused looked but then followed her into her office, Leanne walking just behind him. Ophelia turned to face the two of them.

“Right, so Mr. Larkins has made me head of the proposal team for Hebrides with ye two helping. We have two weeks until we bring this before the heads of magical creatures and finance and the Minister of Magic,” she said.

“Blimey… two weeks? Not enough time,” Bletchley said, frowning in worry. 

“We can do it,” Leanne said firmly. 

“We have to,” Ophelia said. “I’m sorry, but the next two weeks are likely to be a bit mad. But I believe we can do this.” Bletchley sighed.

“Need to refund my tickets,” he muttered to himself. Ophelia couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She knew he had played quidditch for Slytherin and it seemed no matter where she went, she’d never get away from the sport. “Blaise’ll be pissed…”

“I’m sure you can make it up to yer mate later,” she said sternly as she channeled her brother giving one of his famous pep talks. “Right, let’s get started…”

~~~

“You can’t seriously think that you’re going to work through lunch, Wood,” Bletchley said as he smiled at her across the table in the conference room that the three had taken over while they were working on the project. 

She looked up from her book and blinked a moment, before checking the time. It _was_ the lunch hour. She then looked around, wondering where Leanne had gone.

“She took off 15 minutes ago. Remember telling her she could go?” he asked, chuckling. 

“Suppose I was too caught up in this report,” Ophelia said, looking down at it. “Ye can go. I just want to get through this. I can get a sandwich sent up or something.”

“Absolutely not. It’s your first full day in the office. I’m taking you out,” he said, already standing. 

“But really-”

“Not taking no for an answer, Wood,” Bletchley said, already pulling his outer robe back on. Ophelia sighed, standing as well. Seemed all Slytherins were pushy. Bletchley reminded her far too much of Daria.

“Where we goin?” she asked, following him out of the office. 

“Somewhere close. Don’t worry,” he said.

~~~

Once they arrived at the restaurant, Ophelia had to admit she was grateful Bletchley got her out of the office. She did need a break. She had a bad habit of throwing herself into whatever she was working on and forgetting to stop and breathe from time to time. There were many nights when Daria showed up and literally dragged her out of her office in the past. From the library before that at Hogwarts.

“This is rather nice,” Ophelia said, looking around at the chic bistro. It was a nicer restaurant but didn’t come off as pretentious. She wondered how she had missed it in all her years working at the Ministry.

“One of my favorite places,” Bletchley said, checking his watch. “Where is the blighter? Always runnin’ late.”

“Who?” Ophelia asked, unaware that anyone would be joining them.

“Wood.”

Ophelia looked over, seeing Marcus Flint stop just at their table, a stunned look that likely matched her own on his face. He must have come straight from the stadium, his hair slightly damp. And Ophelia had to admit that he looked fit though he was dressed casually in denims and a t-shirt with a leather jacket over it. Though she then wondered where that thought came from. This was Marcus Flint, after all. 

Flint then frowned at Bletchley, who was smiling smugly. Immediately, she felt the blush come over her face. 

Bloody hell, had Flint talked about her while she was gone? What’s more, how on earth did she let him down in front of his mate? There was no gentle way about it, but she figured maybe she could navigate through this lunch without turning it into an embarrassed mess.

Right, she was Ophelia Wood. Had spent the last month working with dragons. Could subdue them. Got the battle scar to match. She could handle one lunch with Marcus Flint. 

“Thought I’d invite Wood along since it’s her first day officially in the office,” Bletchley said as Flint sat down next to Ophelia, nervously reaching for the menu. “Flint and I have a standing lunch on Mondays since he has half-day training.”

“I see,” Ophelia said, burying her face in her own menu. Daria was going to have so much to say about this. 

Hell, her own brother would probably want to throttle her though it was no fault of her own. She hadn’t known that Bletchley had invited her out with him as a ruse to get her to meet with Flint.

“So… how was Romania?” Flint asked cautiously. Ophelia put her menu down, deciding it was high time she learned how to be an adult and get over her embarrassment.

“Braw,” she said, reaching for her water glass.

“Says she even got a battle scar for her work. Saved another tamer and got burned,” Bletchley added. Ophelia shot him a look, though Flint turned to her, looking a bit worried.

“Merlin, Wood,” he said. “Knew it was dangerous, but that sounds serious.”

“Och, its no that bad,” she said lightly. “Just a patch on my arm.” She reached up, lightly placing her hand on her right bicep. “Doesna hurt.” Of course, mentioning the burn made her think of Charlie.

And that started a different kind of burn.

“You Woods always so modest?” Bletchley asked with a grin. Ophelia rolled her eyes.

“We may be twins, but we’re not the same person,” she replied, happy that the server had finally arrived to take their orders.

“That’s for sure,” Bletchely said, glancing at Flint.

Once their orders were taken, she turned back to the two Slytherins, for a moment wondering just how this happened. While she had long been friends with Daria, that was essentially the only Slytherin she had ever stood to be around for any length of time or could really call a friend. And here she was - out to lunch with Bletchley and Flint. Two Slytherins that she was sure would make her twin’s head explode.

“What sort of things did you get up to over there?” Flint asked, seeming to have relaxed slightly, though he still shot a glare at Bletchley every so often.

“Ehm, well, I was mostly there to study how they run the sanctuary and learn the ins and outs of it. So, I followed around various people to observe all aspects,” Ophelia said, finding it easier to settle into the facts of her trip. Though she wondered why he was asking – it wasn’t anything different from her letters. Though maybe he hadn’t told his mates about them and hoped to keep it that way. She certainly hoped he did. “Spent some time with the admin staff and clinic. Then went into the field with the tamers a fair amount.”

“Truthfully, you preferred that, didn’t you? Being out with the dragons?” Bletchley asked, leaning towards her.

Ophelia whipped her head over to him, her cheeks turning pink as she immediately began wondering how he knew about her and Charlie. But just as quickly, she calmed down, unsure of why she would jump to that conclusion or why it mattered if he knew. They were dating. It wasn’t a secret by any means, and they’d eventually find out anyway.

“It’s what I’d want to do,” Bletchley continued. “Actually, did an internship there just after Hogwarts for a bit before I started on at the Ministry.”

“It’s… like nothing I’ve ever done before,” Ophelia admitted, starting to smile. “I’ve worked with creatures of all sorts before but being with dragons… they’re so majestic and yet completely lethal if ye move wrong.” She propped her hand on her chin. “You get this rush, just bein’ around ‘em. But then there is also somethin’ fulfilling in the work. Helping repair a wing or an egg to hatch. Feedin’ the wee’uns. Setting a dragon free after it's been rehabilitated…” She stopped and sighed happily. 

“Sounds like you want to go back,” Bletchley said. She looked at him, smiling.

“Well, that is why we’re hoping to get Hebrides re-opened,” she said, straightening up in her chair. “Not to mention it would go a long way in building up our domestic dragon population. Most have migrated elsewhere.”

As she reached for her water, she caught Flint staring at her out of the corner of her eye, a soft admiration in his eyes. She focused on her water glass a moment, her cheeks heating up. 

“Ah yes, nearly forgot. Wood here is heading up the proposal team,” Bletchley said, turning to Flint. She mustered the courage to look back up at the two.

“Congratulations,” Flint said. Ophelia smiled and looked away.

“Och, it’s loads of work…”

As the conversation continued, Ophelia found it less awkward than she was expecting. By the end of it, she had even joked around with the two, finding she enjoyed their sarcasm. And part of her began to worry less about Flint. He did nor said anything that gave her reason to believe he was interested in pursuing anything with her (though she did catch Bletchley appearing slightly disappointed when Flint didn’t ask her out before they left). 

But with lunch finished up, they had bigger things to focus on, like the proposal, though in her excitement, Ophelia couldn’t help but send off a few owls with the news. Then was surprised to get a quick response from Duncan with a place and time, telling her she better be there, or he’d track her down and drag her out to celebrate.

Chuckling, Ophelia put the note aside and then looked up at the photo of her and Charlie again. She sighed and stared at it, wishing more than anything she could share the news with him. She then sat up and looked up at the clock. She could stand to take a short break.

Reaching for a parchment and then her quill, Ophelia found that the words finally came easily.

~~~

Ophelia walked into the pub and immediately stopped when Duncan, Oliver and Daria all jumped to their feet, shouting and cheering. She glanced around, her cheeks reddening, as she noticed they were getting more than a few annoyed looks.

“Would ye hush?” she asked, taking a seat, though she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“No! I want the entire tavern to know that my sister - Ophelia Grace Wood - is- OW!”

Duncan turned and glared at Daria who was grinning after hitting him in the head with a spoon. She sat back in her chair, grinning smugly.

“Did ye always have good aim?” Oliver asked from across the table. Ophelia rolled her eyes as Duncan sat back down, rubbing his head slightly as he shot dirty looks at Daria.

“Yes, always,” Daria said a bit haughtily.

“Definitely not always,” Ophelia countered. A pint popped up in front of her and she picked it up, eagerly taking a drink.

“So, how does it feel to be running your own team?” Daria asked.

“I’m no so sure I’d call it runnin’ my own team,” Ophelia mused.

“What is it with you Woods and never accepting compliments!” Daria huffed.

“I will always accept compliments,” Duncan said.

“By you Woods, I meant the twins,” Daria said pointedly. Duncan narrowed his eyes at her as she smirked in return.

“Either way, it’s loads of work,” Ophelia said quickly, hoping to thwart another argument between the two. Daria nearly always won, which annoyed Duncan to no end. The man was a Gryffindor through and through – always rushing into things and refusing to give up. “We’ve got two weeks before we take it before the Minister of Magic. And there’s only three of us working on it.”

“They couldn’t spare ye more?” Duncan asked.

“Mr. Larkins said I could always ask for more help if I need it, but Leanne and Bletchley are good workers. I think we can manage,” Ophelia said. Oliver spit out his drink rather suddenly, causing the three others to look at him oddly.

“Do not tell me that ye’re working with Miles Bletchley,” he said, looking at her in shock. Duncan appeared thoroughly confused - not knowing who they were talking about - though Daria rolled her eyes dramatically.

“He’s actually rather nice,” Ophelia said. Which was true. Outside obviously setting her and Flint up for lunch, she found she got on with him well enough and enjoyed working with him when he was focused on work. “No so sure just why it is ye feel ye have to hate every Slytherin just ‘cause they’re Slytherin.”

“You like me and I’m Slytherin,” Daria pointed out. Oliver looked over at her.

“Aye, of course, I do. Ye’re Phillie’s best friend,” he said, as though it was the most logical thing in the world. Daria rolled her eyes, huffing slightly.

“He’s my colleague, Ollie. And I had no choice. Larkins assigned him. But I’ve no problems with him,” Ophelia said, getting Oliver’s attention again. He just frowned at her, as though she were some sort of traitor. “Christ, even Flint isna nearly so bad as ye make him out to be!”

Ophelia’s eyes widened as she clamped her mouth shut. She hadn’t meant to say that. Bugger. On her other side, she could see Daria grinning as she waited for the inevitable explosion. Duncan appeared relieved he could follow the conversation, finally hearing a name he recognized.

“When did ye meet Flint?” Oliver asked quietly, though Ophelia knew this was when he was most dangerous.

“Oh, ehm… ran into him while the team was out for lunch,” she said casually as she reached for her pint. 

“The team?” Oliver asked.

“Right… me and Bletchley,” she amended, cursing her inability to lie, especially to her twin. “Flint joined us, actually. Was a bit awkward for a bit, but then… no so bad. He’s rather decent when ye get to talkin’ to him…”

“And then there was the club,” Daria chipped in. Ophelia shot her a glare. “Before she left.” Daria was enjoying poking Oliver far, far too much and Ophelia was starting to worry slightly. There was a reason his Patronus was a bear.

She glanced nervously over at her twin, who was back to scowling at her.

“I swear, Ollie! It was just random things!” Ophelia said. “We didna even talk about ye!”

“What would Charlie say?” Oliver asked, the disapproval clear in his voice. Ophelia stared at him in confusion a bit and then snorted before she laughed loudly.

“Fairly sure he doesna care who I have lunch with,” she replied, though at the back of her mind she did remember that one moment just before they got together that Charlie had thought she was, perhaps, dating Flint. But then she had assured him there was nothing there. And he believed her. Because there was nothing there, at least on her part. “Truly, house rivalry doesna mean so much to him.” 

“Speaking of which, you heard from loverboy lately?” Daria asked, eager to change the topic, though Ophelia almost wanted to go back to poking Oliver. Her cheeks turned slightly red.

“Can we not call him loverboy?” Duncan whined, though Daria shot him a look.

“I havena heard from him, but I’ve only been back a couple days,” Ophelia said, trying to hide her disappointment. But it was true, she argued with herself, it had only been a couple days and he was likely busy. “Though I sent him an owl today about the proposal.”

“I’m sure he’ll floo the second he gets it,” Daria said. Ophelia looked up at her, catching her encouraging grin. Ophelia returned it gratefully.

“Now, if we’re all finished wi’ takin’ the mickey out of each other, it’s time for a toast,” Duncan said grandly, getting everyone to look at him. He held his glass out. “To Phillie! Congrats, little sister!”

“To Phillie!”

Ophelia couldn’t help but smile as they all held their glasses up and then took their drinks. For the time being, she put aside her worries. Charlie would write back soon, she knew. Tonight, she was going to celebrate with her brothers and best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously have only half a chapter left to write. If I get some decent progress tonight (and it’s not too late) I’ll post another chapter later. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	16. Surprise!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> The chapter title says it all...

**Surprise!**

Ophelia huffed slightly as she hurried down the corridor, her arms laden down with scrolls and files. It had been a few more days and they were up to their eyebrows in work. It was coming up on the end of their first week working on the proposal and it seemed every time she looked up, another hour had passed, and they were no closer to being ready. 

Not to mention, she hadn’t received any word from Charlie. She tried to assure herself that perhaps he was just busy. And that it takes a while for owls to get to Romania and back again. That he wasn’t ignoring her now that they were apart.

Long distance was proving to be far more difficult than she thought.

While Charlie was never far from her mind, she missed him. It was a far cry from being able to wake up in his arms every morning, she found. Or speak to him whenever she wanted. Perhaps she would try flooing him tonight. See if he was around. Surely, he wasn’t avoiding her.

Ophelia came to a stop just outside the main office, her eyes widening as her heart clenched. No, she was not going to think that way. Charlie had assured her that he wanted this to go on. That it wasn’t over just because she was back in Britain. They were still together. She still loved him. Everything was fine.

“Everything’s fine,” she muttered to herself as she started walking again. 

Regardless, she was in the middle of a large work project and needed to focus. She could worry about Charlie in the privacy of her flat after work. Perhaps she’d have Daria come over and they could discuss it over a bottle of wine. The no-nonsense Slytherin would talk some sense into her.

Turning the corner, she walked into the office and stopped, seeing a large bouquet of flowers sitting on her desk through the open door of her office. Immediately, her heart began beating faster as a smile came over her face.

“They came while you were out,” Leanne said, stepping up to her side and speaking softly. “From your dragon tamer, maybe?”

Ophelia looked over at the flowers and nodded.

“Likely,” she said breathlessly, finding herself deliriously happy all of a sudden. She _knew_ that he hadn’t forgotten about her.

“Looks as though Wood’s got an admirer,” Bletchley said. Ophelia looked over, eyes wide, and seeing him standing with some of the other blokes. “Pray tell, just who could it be?”

Her cheeks turned pink as the others waited for her to answer, though she couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered being under the spotlight.

“It’s no yer concern,” she said, quickly stepping over to her office and not wishing to put her relationship on display. Bletchley chuckled.

“I think I know who it is,” he sang. Ophelia stopped again as she looked over at him, sure her face was the color of a tomato right now. He just winked at her and she hurried into her office. She quickly put down the things in her arms on the desk and stepped over to shut the door, her eyes still on the flowers.

They were large and rather nice-looking roses, though they wouldn’t have been her first choice. And it seemed a bit unlike Charlie to send her roses. This was the bloke that collected a bouquet of wildflowers one day when they were out working in the field. Roses seemed too… traditional and impersonal. Stepping over, she pulled out the note and opened it, eager to see what Charlie had said.

_Congrats on the job. Just wanted to say it was nice running into you the other day and I hope we can meet again soon._

_Marcus Flint_

Ophelia’s eyes widened as she looked up at the flowers and then back down at the note. Marcus Flint had sent her flowers? Bugger, this was not what she was expecting. And it seemed he had been interested in her after all. 

“Fuck’s sake,” she muttered under her breathe. Even if she wasn’t currently dating Charlie, she wasn’t sure if she would be interested in dating Flint. Oliver would lose it, that was for sure. Had already lost it over the fact they had lunch together.

Not to mention, she just wasn’t attracted to him, though she was coming around to the idea of being friends.

Frowning, she walked over and sat down, staring at the flowers. Now she understood Bletchley’s ribbing. Perhaps he had talked Flint into sending flowers. Seemed like something he would do.

There was a knock on her door, and she looked over, still frowning. Sighing she got up and walked over, pulling it open to see a grinning Bletchley standing there.

“Do you like them?” he asked. Ophelia rolled her eyes.

“Do not need yer cheek right now,” she grumbled, shutting the door.

“Come on, Wood! Give the bloke a chance!” she heard him shout through the door. She huffed as she glanced at it and then walked over to her desk, staring at the flowers as she started going through various scenarios of letting Flint down gently. Sending a note would be the easiest way, but she felt slightly bad about letting him down through a letter. Wouldn’t the mature thing to do be to tell him in person?

Another knock sounded on her door. Growling slightly, Ophelia turned and marched over to open it.

“I told you, Bletch-”

She stopped speaking as her eyes widened again and she lost the ability to fully process her thoughts or even speak.

“What? No hello?” a grinning Charlie asked, a small bundle of flowers in his hand and a knapsack on his shoulder.

Ophelia blinked a few times before reaching out and touching his arm, making sure that it was really him standing there. He chuckled at the stunned look on her face. She then looked up at his face, a grin spreading. 

“Merlin, I’ve missed you,” she said before launching herself into his arms, relishing the warm strength that was Charlie Weasley. He laughed again as his arms came around her. 

Ophelia was vaguely aware of the looks they were no doubt getting in that moment. Before anyone could say anything, she stepped back and pulled him into her office, shutting the door behind them. When she turned, Charlie had pushed her against the door, his hand against her cheek as he kissed her deeply.

“Merlin, we’re at my office,” she said breathlessly, though she knew she was grinning. 

“Couldn’t help myself. Missed you too much to wait until you left work for the day,” he replied softly. Ophelia chuckled as she pushed him away and walked over to her desk.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, turning to face him.

“Got your letter and thought I would come congratulate you in person. Maybe offer some help if I could,” he said, still smiling.

“The sanctuary sent you?” she asked. He shook his head.

“Got a fair amount of holiday time built up. Took a few weeks off,” he said. “Wanted to surprise you, which is why I didn’t write back.” Ophelia chuckled.

“Well, I’m certainly surprised,” she said. “For a time there, I thought ye’d forgotten me.” Charlie grinned.

“Forget you, Ophelia Wood? Never,” he said, stepping up to her again and kissing her gently. He then glanced over at the flowers and then at her, his eyebrows raised in question.

“Oh, ehm… Oliver and Duncan,” she said, lying quickly. Though it felt wrong. He chuckled and stepped over to look at them. “Er, well… no.” He glanced over at her. “Marcus Flint. Apparently, Bletchley is trying to set us up. But trust me, there’s nothing going on there.” Her stomach began to twist slightly, worried about his reaction.

“Ah, so this is my competition,” he said, looking at the obviously expensive bouquet and then at the much smaller one in his hand. Ophelia sighed and stepped over to him, putting her hand on his cheek.

“There’s no competition when it comes to you, Charlie,” she said softly, smiling at him. She then went on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before stepping back and taking the flowers from him. While not nearly as big as the roses, she found she liked it more - it was a collection of blue and purple irises. “These are beautiful.”

She looked up, seeing the red creeping up his neck a bit.

“I love them,” she said, turning and pulling out her wand. She waved it, calling over a vase over from a shelf and then filled it with water before putting the flowers in. “So, ye serious about helping?” She looked over at him.

“If you need it, of course,” he said eagerly.

“Good, because we’ve got loads of work and could use another set of hands and a head that knows dragons and reserves,” she said. “Come, I’ll introduce you to the others.”

She held her hand out to him and Charlie took it. Sparks ran up her arm and she couldn’t nearly believe that he was here. That they were once again together. 

~~~

Ophelia couldn’t but grin as she sat next to Charlie at the pub, his large hand on her knee as he spoke to Daria. She had answered immediately when Ophelia sent an owl about meeting for dinner and drinks. She glanced at her watch, wondering what was keeping her brothers. Though part of her worried about what sort of reception they’d have.

While they seemed okay with her dating Charlie, it was something much different to see it with their own eyes.

“What the- Charlie?”

The three turned seeing a shocked Duncan and Oliver standing there, mouths gaping. Oliver’s hair was damp, and his team bag was on his shoulder as though he had just come from training at the stadium. Duncan’s work robes were wrinkled and slightly dusty, making Ophelia wonder what case he had been working on that day.

Charlie stood and walked over to the two, smiling brightly.

“Good to see you, Duncan. Oliver,” he said, his hand out. Duncan looked down at it and then back at Charlie, his expression unreadable. Ophelia’s worry only increased. 

Finally, Duncan accepted his hand, a strained smile on his face, though he shot a dark look at Ophelia.

“So that’s how it is now? You come to visit, and I find out through my sister?” Duncan asked, turning to Charlie. 

“It was a bit of a last-minute decision,” Charlie admitted, though he looked over at Ophelia grinning. “Wanted to surprise her.”

“Well then, how’s Romania?” Oliver asked good-naturedly as he moved to sit down, Duncan following him.

While Oliver seemed more relaxed with Charlie being there, Duncan was closely watching Charlie as he moved to sit next to Ophelia. He frowned slightly when he put his hand back on her knee.

“Och, Duncan,” Ophelia chided, frowning at him.

“Can’t help it. Ye are my little sister,” Duncan replied, frowning at Charlie. “And he’s my mate.” 

“We’ve known each other for years,” Charlie said. “Practically lived together for seven years. You know me.”

“Aye, I do,” Duncan said, narrowing his eyes slightly as Ophelia huffed.

“Seriously, stop it, Duncan. This is happening whether ye like it or not,” she said. 

“I, for one, think it’s rather brilliant,” Daria said. 

“Of course, ye would,” Duncan said, rolling his eyes. “Bet ye encouraged that whole shite with Figgs.” 

“Flint,” Oliver corrected, now frowning as well. Ophelia’s face turned red as Charlie glanced at her, though she relaxed a bit when she saw his smile.

“I did not,” Daria said. “Though I, like Ophelia, don’t think he’s nearly as bad as you make him out to be. I do know him a fair bit better than you two, being in the same house and year. Not to mention our families are rather close. He’s not quite the tosser you make him out to be.” 

“Slytherins… they all stick together,” Oliver muttered. Daria rolled her eyes and took a drink.

“Ehm, can we all just have a good time tonight?” Ophelia pleaded. “And get along. Charlie is still yer mate. I’m still yer sister. Just… we’re together now.” She looked at him, smiling. 

“I swear, if ye are about to kiss, I’m leaving,” Duncan moaned. Ophelia and Charlie looked at him, seeing he had his face in his hands. They both started laughing. 

“I promise – no kissing in front of you,” Charlie vowed. He squeezed Ophelia’s knee. Duncan rolled his eyes and then turned, ordering a drink as did Oliver.

“So, ye mum and everyone else know that ye’re here?” Oliver asked.

“Ehm… not yet. Like I said, wanted to surprise everyone,” Charlie said, reaching for his pint glass. “Though she likely knows by now, knowing her. Spies everywhere.”

“And ye brother works in the Ministry. Probably heard about ye showing up today,” Ophelia said.

“True,” Charlie said.

“How long are ye staying?” Oliver asked, reaching for his glass once it appeared.

“Couple of weeks,” Charlie said. “Helping Phillie out with her project and thought I’d stay until after the pitch. To celebrate and all when it goes through.” Oliver and Duncan looked over at her, causing her to blush slightly. 

“How’s that going?” Oliver asked, directing the question to her. 

“Good. Thought not sure how we’re going to get it ready in time,” she lamented. “So much to look into. Current laws. The financials. Havena even been there to see what structures are still left, though should go soon.”

“What about this weekend?” Charlie suggested. “You and I could go out and take stock.” Ophelia smiled at him.

“I’d like that,” she said. 

“Merlin, of course ye two would go on a date to an old dragon reserve,” Duncan said with a sigh. Ophelia and Charlie looked over at him, Ophelia wearing a hopeful expression. “Just because I’ve accepted… this… doesna mean I like it… yet.”

Ophelia chuckled and shook her head. 

“Ehm, suppose it’s no so bad,” Oliver admitted. Duncan frowned at his brother. “What? She’s right. Phillie’s an adult. It’s no like we can control who she dates. At least it’s not Flint.”

Ophelia rolled her eyes.

“Canna let go of that,” she muttered, reaching for her drink.

The night continued on, with Duncan slowly coming around to them the more they spoke. Or rather, the more he drank. Eventually he took to teasing the two, which Ophelia wasn’t sure she liked any more than him being unhappy with them dating. But she supposed it was a good thing. At least he wasn’t threatening to clobber Charlie.

“So… ye are planning to go to Hebrides this weekend?” Duncan asked sometime later, a small smile on his face and a glint in his eye. Ophelia immediately became suspicious.

“Suppose, yea,” Charlie said easily.

“Ye know, we have a monthly family lunch this weekend. Ye should come and then the two of ye can head to Hebrides from there,” Duncan said. “Maw and Da would love to see you again.”

Ophelia spit out her drink, causing Oliver to laugh and Daria to smile. The Slytherin lifted her glass to Duncan, thoroughly entertained by his quick thinking. Charlie grabbed a napkin and held it out to Ophelia. She should have known that’s where Duncan was headed.

“Ye sure about that?” she wheezed slightly, not looking at Charlie.

“I wouldn’t mind,” Charlie said. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. She had told her mother about them, yes, and it wasn’t as though they didn’t know Charlie. He had come over with Duncan a fair amount during summer holidays from school. Just as much as Duncan and Oliver had gone over to the Burrow, sometimes with Ophelia in tow.

But this was different. He was coming over to meet her parents as her boyfriend. That was a big step and she wasn’t sure if she was ready for it. But Charlie seemed completely at ease with the situation.

“I mean, if you’re okay with it, Phillie,” he said. She opened her mouth to speak and then shut it. Merlin, this conversation would be better without her brothers watching.

“Ehm… sure,” she said, giving in. She knew she couldn’t say no now, though she found that once she had said it, it didn’t seem so bad.

Surely it would be a normal Wood lunch. Nothing more just because Charlie was there. He smiled down at her and kissed her cheek. Duncan made a noise that sounded close to a gag. Charlie chuckled as he and Ophelia looked over at him.

“Gonna have to get used to a small bit of PDA, mate,” he said. Ophelia smiled a bit smugly at her brother. It was what he deserved for inviting Charlie to lunch that weekend.

“Fine,” Duncan said, rolling his eyes dramatically as Daria laughed loudly.

“Well, with that out of the way… another round of drinks!”

~~~

Ophelia laughed as she and Charlie walked into her flat later, reliving some of the more humorous bits of that night.

“I have never seen Duncan’s face that shade of red,” Charlie said as he shut the door. 

“Och, me neither,” Ophelia said as she pulled off her outer robe and tossed it over the back of the sofa. She then turned to face Charlie as he tossed his knapsack on the floor. 

It was then that she was vaguely aware they were in her flat together. Alone. Well, save for her animals. But still, no one to interrupt them. Her stomach fluttered slightly as a look came into his eyes and he walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He obviously had the same thought as he bent down and kissed her.

It was soft and gentle at first, but as Ophelia wrapped her arms around his neck, he pulled her closer until she was flush against his chest and he slid his tongue through her lips, deepening it with a soft moan as she knotted her fingers in his hair.

He began walking until Ophelia found herself being lowered to the sofa. She moaned as she felt his body pressing against hers, his lips leaving a hot trail to her neck. Though it had been less than a week, she felt as though her body was coming back to life under his touch.

For a moment, she thought she saw stars as he grinded his hips into hers and she could feel the bulge forming in his trousers.

“Merlin, Phillie,” he breathed into her neck as she rolled her hips to meet his. He lifted up slightly and she took advantage of the space, starting to undo the buttons of his shirt and then running her fingers over his chest.

His lips then came crashing down on hers again, this time kissing her hungrily as his hand slid down her side and then up under her skirt, massaging her thigh. All she could really think about in that moment was that they were both wearing far too much clothing.

And that her bed would be far more comfortable than the sofa.

Already, she could feel a familiar heat building up between her legs as she rubbed against him, trying to get any sort of friction that she could.

But then he pushed up and away from her, staring in her eyes.

“Stay the night?” she whispered. He smiled and bent down, kissing her softly, before sitting up on the sofa. For a moment, Ophelia worried. Had she done something wrong? Or had things changed?

“Merlin, I want to, but I know Mum’ll throw a fit if I don’t get there tonight,” he said, already doing up his buttons again. “She’d of no doubt sent me a Howler by now if she knew exactly where I was. Throw a right good fit that I didn’t stop by the Burrow first.”

“True,” Ophelia said, thinking to what she did know of the fiery Mrs. Weasley. Charlie then looked at her and smiled.

“It’s only the first few nights,” he said. “Sure, I can manage a night away while I’m here soon enough.”

Electricity flew through Ophelia’s body at the heated look he was giving her, and she relaxed. Everything was as it should be. He was just concerned about his mother and family. And honestly, Ophelia couldn’t fault him.

“Not to mention, she’ll want to hear about where I’ve been,” he continued. Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly.

“Does your family… do they know about us?” she asked, her heart pounding.

“Bill does. Tell him everything. Not sure about the others, but sure they will soon enough even if I didn’t tell them myself,” he said. “You know how my family is.” Ophelia nodded. Hers was basically the same.

Charlie then leaned over and kissed her softly.

“Let me placate my mother and then I’ll be here every night, if you’ll have me,” he whispered against her lips. Ophelia couldn’t help but smile as she kissed him back.

“Of course,” she whispered back. He then stood and reached for his knapsack as Ophelia stood as well. She walked him over to the door.

“See you tomorrow at the Ministry?” he asked. She nodded and then kissed him again. “Goodnight, Phillie.”

She then opened the door and let him out, though he turned and kissed her one last time that had her veins on fire again. He then turned and walked away as Ophelia shut the door and leaned against it, a smile playing across her lips.

Charlie was here. Perhaps she would finally get her opportunity to tell him that she loved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what this means… I’ve finished writing this story! Can probably post two chapters a day. It’s not that many more chapters – 22 plus an epilogue (which I do when I don’t intend to make it into a series, or it’s the last in a series). So, buckle up, there’s more to come!
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	17. An Afternoon with the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> ** Love Scene Warning!**
> 
> Ophelia and Charlie head out to spend lunch with her family (which could be a mistake), then go check out the old reserve at Hebrides.

**An Afternoon with the Woods**

Ophelia couldn’t help but be nervous as she and Charlie made their way down the path to the house where she grew up in a small village nestled in the Highlands. Outside of Hogwarts and her flat, it was the only home she had ever known. It was on the outskirts of the village along a small lane of magical folk, though the main village itself was muggle.

She stopped at the doorstep, gulping slightly as she stared at the door. It wasn’t so much that she was afraid – she had never truly been afraid of her parents, even when she was in trouble – but she was concerned. There was no telling what madness would be lying on the other side of the door now that she was bringing a man home to meet (well, not so much _meet_ in this case, but same concept) the family.

“Surely this isn’t that bad,” Charlie said from her side. She looked over at him, jealous that he was far more at ease than she was. Part of her thought they shouldn’t take an afternoon off from work; there was still far too much to do on the proposal. But Charlie assured her they would be fine. Besides, part of this was work. They would head out to Hebrides after lunch.

But that wasn’t the source of her agitation. It was her family. She wasn’t completely sure what they would face.

“Right,” Ophelia said, pushing the door open before she lost her nerve and turned back around. “Maw! Da!”

“Ah, there ye are!” Davina Wood said as she stepped into the living room, a towel in her hands. She quickly wiped her hands and walked over to hug Ophelia, though she was smiling at Charlie over her shoulder. She then stepped over and hugged him as well. “So good to see ye, Charlie. It’s been such a long time.”

“You as well, Mrs. Wood,” he said politely. 

“Pssh, it’s Davina,” she said, stepping back from him. “Ye’ve certainly grown up.” She then looked over and winked at Ophelia, whose cheeks turned pink.

“Ah, when I heard Charlie Weasley was comin’ today, nearly didn’t believe it,” her father Fergus boomed as he walked in, his eyes twinkling. He was a large man - tall and broad like her brothers - and Ophelia supposed she should be grateful that he had chosen to be happy about Charlie, rather than try to intimidate him. “Especially when I heard he was comin’ with wee Phillie here.” 

“Da,” Ophelia whined, though Fergus paid her no heed, walking over to shake Charlie’s hand. She was now unsure if she liked this approach any better.

“Good to see you again, Mr. Wood,” Charlie said, ever the charmer.

“As with my lovely wife, it’s Fergus. And at this point, ye are practically family as it is,” he said, grinning. Ophelia grimaced, not sure she wanted to know where he was going with that. He then stepped over and hugged Ophelia. “Happy to hear you looked after my youngest in Romania. Save her from any dragons, did ye?” Ophelia just frowned at her father.

“Actually, she was the one rescuing me,” Charlie said, smiling. “Got me out of the way before a Hebridean Black could roast me.” Fergus’ eyes widened as he looked at Ophelia. “Got a lovely scar from her efforts.”

“WHAT!?” Duncan shouted as he bounded into the room. Ophelia huffed and rolled her eyes. Of course, this would be the one time he showed up early. “You said nothin’ about that!”

“Probably because I knew ye’d lose yer heid,” she muttered, though Charlie chuckled. Duncan frowned at him. Whatever goodwill they had built up the other night was now clearly gone as Duncan decided - yet again - to be unhappy that his friend was dating his younger sister.

“Ye were supposed to be lookin’ out for her!” he shouted.

“I made no such promise, Duncan,” Charlie said. “Though I did my best. Phillie’s got a mind of her own, as I’m sure you know.”

Mr. and Mrs. Wood laughed loudly as Duncan continued to glare at his friend. 

“Och, we gonna stand around all day or eat?” Oliver asked, walking into the room. Well bugger, they were both early. But Ophelia couldn’t help but feel grateful for Oliver and his never-ending pit of a stomach in that moment.

“Come on, then. Lunch is ready,” Mrs. Wood said amiably. “And then ye can tell us about Romania. I’m eager to hear all about it.”

They all sat down to lunch and Ophelia was happy that things settled down, though Duncan continued to frown at Charlie throughout the meal. Ophelia barely got a word in as her parents peppered Charlie with question after question about the dragon reserve and Ophelia’s time there. She had to admit, he was rather good with parents. Or maybe it was because they already knew each other so well. 

“So, ye’re helping Phillie here wi’ the proposal,” Fergus said.

“Yes, sir. Though she doesn’t much need the help,” Charlie said, flashing her a smile. Ophelia felt her cheeks heat up slightly.

“Och, I need all the help I can get,” she said. “Two weeks and three people. Not nearly enough. He’s been helping loads.” Though she turned her attention to her plate, she didn’t miss the look that passed between her parents.

Merlin, Charlie complained that his mother would be planning the wedding; she was fairly sure her mother was already doing the same. 

“So, once they get Hebrides up, ye thinkin’ of relocatin’?” Fergus asked, causing Ophelia to choke on her drink. She glanced at Charlie, the thought not really crossing her mind until that moment. They hadn’t even discussed it themselves.

“Perhaps, though would have to be offered a spot first,” Charlie said, the red starting up his neck. Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly as a smile tugged at her lips.

She had to admit, now that it was mentioned, she wouldn’t mind it if he moved to Hebrides. Certainly, far closer than Romania.

“Could get you to some matches then,” Oliver said, smiling. Duncan was glaring at Charlie though at this point Ophelia wasn’t so sure why he was still upset. He had loads of time to get used to the fact she and Charlie were dating.

“Would love to. Been an age since I’ve been to a game,” Charlie said. “Saw you lot were doing well this season…”

Never in her life had Ophelia been grateful for quidditch. But she breathed a bit easier when they settled into talking about Puddlemere and the season, rather than Charlie moving to Scotland. Though she knew it was something they would talk about eventually.

It no doubt would come up with his own family if it hadn’t already, she was sure. For his part, Charlie seemed happier discussing quidditch and she was keen to keep it going, even joining here and there. Duncan also finally joined the conversation, seeming to once again become comfortable with Charlie being there. Merlin, his back and forth was enough to give Ophelia a headache. 

But thankfully, lunch was coming to an end and she was grateful to get out of the house and up to Hebrides. If anything, to get away from the knowing looks her parents were giving her and Charlie.

“While yer here, we should do a pick-up match,” Oliver said. “Dare say we could get Phillie up in the air.” Duncan snorted as he reached for another piece of cake.

“You remember the last time we did that? Could barely stay on her broom,” he said, grinning cheekily at her.

“I was no that bad,” she shot back defensively. “No that great either, but I did stay on my broom more than ye are sayin’.” Charlie chuckled and sat his arm on the back of her chair, a move that didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of her family.

Suddenly, she felt like their relationship was on display as she squirmed slightly in her chair. Even if it was just her family. 

“Aye, she’s no that bad,” Fergus said. “Not everyone can play professional quidditch, though surely Charlie here would have had a good chance.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Charlie said, a humble expression on his face. “Though flying does come in handy sometimes with my work. But yea, I would be up for a match while I’m here. Sure, George and Bill would be interested as well.”

“We’ll work it out. Phillie could be a cheerleader,” Oliver said, winking at her. Ophelia just rolled her eyes.

“Ophelia can play if she wants,” her mother said firmly, glaring at her two sons. This was a conversation they had had way more than once. Her brothers leaving her out and her parents shouting at them to let her play.

“Anyone care about what I want to do?” Ophelia asked.

“You want to play?” Charlie asked, looking down at her. 

“Maybe,” she said, not really wanting to, but also not wanting to back down in front of her brothers. Oliver was smiling smugly at her, before shooting Duncan a look. 

Fucking hell, they were planning something, she knew it. In fact, they had been getting along all lunch which told her they most definitely were in on something together. They mostly got along when it came to something involving her - whether it was pestering the ever-loving life out of her or going after some bloke that had slighted her. 

Ophelia wasn’t sure she wanted to stick around long enough to find out just what this was.

“Well, it’s been lovely, but Charlie and I have somewhere to be,” she said, pulling her napkin from her lap and placing it on the table.

“So soon? But we havnae brought out the good stuff!” her father boomed, obviously disappointed they were leaving. 

“Aye, stay a bit longer,” her mother encouraged.

“And just why is it yer so eager to be off?” Oliver asked, grinning. Ophelia blushed as she rolled her eyes.

“We’re going to look at Hebrides,” she stated. “For the proposal. And then we’ve got more work to do.” She was slightly tempted to stick her tongue out at him but refrained. Charlie chuckled at her side.

“Yes, it has been a wonderful afternoon, but we should get out there soon so that we’re back before sundown,” he said. Everyone stood from the table as Charlie thanked the Woods for the meal and they started for the door.

“Just be safe!” Oliver shouted out, Ophelia’s eyes going wide at the insinuation behind the words. She heard a thwack and turned around to see just who had smacked him. It was her mother, who was frowning at him, while Duncan’s face had gone white. Fergus had buried his face in his tea mug, not wanting to acknowledge what Oliver had just said.

“See you later!” Ophelia shouted as she then grabbed Charlie’s arm and dragged him out of the house, mortification flowing through her. “I’m gonna kill him.”

“Wasn’t that bad. Well… at least not until the end,” Charlie said. Ophelia frowned at him. “And really, you know George is worse.” Ophelia just huffed slightly as they started down the path, pulling her wand out.

“Let’s just go before anyone else in there gets any other bright ideas,” she muttered.

“Fine by me. Hold on…”

~~~

When Ophelia opened her eyes, they were standing at the top of a hill, the sea breeze blowing her hair slightly. She couldn’t speak for a moment, taking in the rolling landscape before her. Charlie had taken them to the largest of the small grouping of islands that had housed the previous reserve.

She could see a few structures still up, but she wasn’t completely sure where the main camp had been. Either way, it still took her breath away. There was something about home, she decided, though Romania had been beautiful in its own way.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked, looking over at Charlie. He had a bit of a dazed look on his face as he looked over the island and then down at her, nodding.

“I’ve never seen it before,” he said. Ophelia smiled and took his hand, starting to walk down the hill.

“Well, this is just one of three islands the old reserve was set up on. Plenty of space and there are more islands nearby that we could use, should we need to expand,” she explained. “As you know, the proposal would have us starting out on these three and we can build it up over time.”

They fell into comfortable silence as they walked, though eventually Ophelia stopped and pulled a map out of her bag, looking it over and then up. She then pointed in a direction where the camp had been, the two setting off again.

When they finally reached the main camp area, she was surprised to see a few of the buildings still there, though they were a bit worse for wear.

“Not so bad,” Charlie said, coming to a stop. “Think most of this could be renovated. You wouldn’t need to start from scratch completely.”

“Aye, I agree,” Ophelia said, looking around. It was a bit difficult, but she was trying to imagine it as it had once been.

“This… looks like it was the main building,” Charlie said, pointing over to the largest building. He walked over, Ophelia following. Carefully, they made their way across the rundown porch and into the building. Light poured in from several holes in the ceiling. “Think you could get a new roof on it easily. Upgrade the kitchen and all.” 

Ophelia didn’t answer, just followed him back outside. 

“Over there… that’s a nice space for a hatchery. Could do a bigger one than in Romania,” he said, pointing in another direction. Ophelia studied the look on his face, seeing he had a far-off expression. She looked over at the space, following him as he walked to it, still explaining how the hatchery would look.

In a manner of seconds, it was as though the building had sprung up before her, plank by plank. As they walked around the plot, she could see the stalls for the eggs. The heaters that would keep the place warm and toasty. Where the wee-uns could stay until they were big enough to move out into the wild of the island.

They continued on, Charlie pointing out where the cabins would go and a general store. A clinic for the tamers and another for the most injured dragons. He then stopped and looked up at a hill that would overlook the entire camp.

“There,” he said, pointing up at it. “That’s the perfect place for a house. Large porch so you could sit out there at night or in the morning and you’d get the perfect view of the entire reserve.”

His blue eyes were lit up with excitement as he gazed up at the hill and Ophelia could see it. A quaint little house with large windows and a large porch. She then looked up at the sky, almost seeing a dragon flying overhead. Looking around at the land around her, she felt excitement building. It was almost as though the picture Charlie had painted for her had come to life.

She could see tamers walking about, going on their day. People going in and out of the main hall and clinic. Perhaps even guests coming to see the dragons. 

It was amazing. 

And for the first time since she had started on this project, she didn’t feel overwhelmed. She felt as though it was just at her fingertips and she wanted nothing more than to follow through. To bring everything Charlie had just said to life.

“You see it, don’t you?” Charlie asked. She looked up at him, seeing his bright blue eyes fixed on her. She couldn’t speak, only nod. She then looked away, the intensity in his eyes almost too much to bear.

“It’s beautiful,” she said softly, the only thing that could come to mind. “It’s going to be a lot of work, but Merlin, I can see it.”

She felt Charlie’s hand in her own and she looked down as their fingers intertwined. She then looked back up at him. 

“If anyone can do it, it’s you, Phillie,” he said softly, pulling her closer to him. She blushed slightly but didn’t shy away. “Already you’re doing so much.”

“I’ve got help,” she said, looking away. Charlie reached out and gently touched her cheek, guiding her to look up at him. She could see the heat building in his eyes.

“True, but you are doing a large part of the work,” he said. “Never underestimate yourself, Phillie. When this succeeds, it's because of you.” Ophelia couldn’t look away as he pulled her against him. “You’ve got a true passion for this reserve. For the dragons that you’ll save. It takes heart to do this work, and you’ve got plenty of that.” 

Ophelia held her breath slightly as he bent down to her, taking her lips in a tender kiss that still managed to set her veins aflame in the way that only Charlie could do. She found herself wrapping her arms around his neck, opening her lips to him. She felt his grip tightening on her waist. 

Finally, Ophelia pulled away, taking a deep breath. Charlie smiled down at her.

“Do ye need to go back to the Burrow tonight?” she asked, a coy smile on her face. Charlie chuckled softly and shook his head. 

“No… not tonight.”

~~~

They had barely arrived in Ophelia’s flat when Charlie’s lips were on hers and then everywhere, his calloused hands yanking her jacket off and then her shirt up and tossing it aside. They were moving back towards her room, though neither really watching where they were going, bumping into things here and there.

Ophelia couldn’t help but chuckle as her back ran into the door frame and she looked up at Charlie, slightly breathless from all the kisses. She then yanked his own shirt up and pulled it off, taking a moment to admire his bare chest as she ran her fingers over it.

Charlie then took her lips with his again, easily lifting her up. Ophelia wrapped her legs around him as he walked over to her bed and then laid her down. They barely parted long enough for him to pull her trousers off and then work on his own. 

It had been just over a week since they had last been together, but Ophelia could feel the same urgency coursing through as was him. Once he was out of his trousers, he laid out on top of her, pressing his body against hers as a soft moan escaped her lips. His hands were everywhere again - running up her sides, across her stomach, pulling her breasts out of her bra. She arched against him before pulling him closer, rubbing against him. 

Without breaking the kiss, they rolled over and Ophelia sat up, pushing her hair out of her face as Charlie ran his hands up her sides and then around her back, undoing her bra then tossing that aside as well. He then sat up, taking one nipple into his mouth as she tossed her head back, reveling in the sensations coursing through her body. Charlie wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him as she began to roll her hips against his. She could easily feel his arousal and knew that her panties were likely soaked through.

Just thinking about him was enough to get her wet, it seemed, though part of that was likely the fact they hadn’t yet been able to be together like this despite the fact he had been in Britain a few days now. The anticipation had been building all week, that was for sure. 

Charlie moved to her other breast as his other hand began playing with her nipple and his other cupped her arse, squeezing and then urging her to continue moving against him.

Ophelia took a deep breath and then pushed him back, crawling off him a moment. Charlie looked at her in want as she slowly slid her panties down, and then a beautiful grin spread across his face as he managed to get out of his briefs. She then crawled back on him, kissing him as she reached down and began to stroke his cock. A low growl rumbled through his chest.

“Phillie,” he murmured against her lips, starting to move her into position.

“No,” she said. He backed away from her in confusion, but Ophelia just smiled as she pushed him down onto the bed and then bent down and began kissing down his chest, still stroking.

She wasn’t sure what possessed her to want to do this - it wasn’t as though she was an expert by any means - but wanted to do something to make Charlie feel as good as he made her feel.

“Phillie, what-” his words were cut off by a moan as she ran her tongue down his length and then back up. She looked up, noticing that his eyes had slid shut as he bucked involuntarily. She couldn’t help but smile as she wrapped her lips around his tip, sucking gently. He was a bit wider than she thought she could take, but she was committed now that she had started, bobbing her head down as far as it could go before slowly moving back up, sucking along the way.

“Fuck, Phillie,” he groaned. She chuckled and found him squirming more at the sensation. He thrust into her mouth, urging her to continue though he couldn’t speak. She continued on, sucking his cock in a steady rhythm, her hand sliding behind her mouth.

Charlie continued to moan as she started picking up her pace, his fingers tangling themselves in her hair as his breathing became harder. She was now moving at a faster pace, reaching down to massage his balls, which had him grunting more. 

He then reached out and pulled her off him. Her eyes widened, thinking he had been enjoying it and wondering if she had done something wrong. He only gave her a lust-filled smile as he pulled her up and then rolled on top of her, attacking her neck with kisses and nips. She felt him position himself at her entrance.

“As amazing as that is, I don’t want to cum in your mouth,” he murmured into her ear. “And I want to feel you around me when you cum…” 

She gasped in ecstasy as he slid inside her, the way made easy with how wet she was. Ophelia arched her back, her chest rubbing against his as he thrust in and out. Her hands roamed his large back as he continued to suck her neck and then her earlobe, hitting every spot that drove her wild. 

At first she had been able to keep up with him, but the more wild he drove her, the harder it was to think about anything but the pleasure building up inside her, her own hips now moving erratically. He then reached down and Ophelia couldn’t help but cry out as his fingers found her sensitive clit, massaging it as he continued to thrust. She brought her leg up, wrapping it around him and wanting to feel him completely filling her.

Charlie was now pounding in her, a sheen layer of sweat covering both of them as he kissed her lips again, his tongue diving into her mouth in much the same fashion as his cock. She could feel herself starting to near the crest of her impending orgasm as her legs began shaking in anticipation. He was going deep inside her now, hitting the sensitive spot in her depths. That combined with his fingers had her going wild.

“Charlie!” she cried out as her orgasm swept through her like a wave, lighting up every nerve in her body. He grunted loudly and then gasped as he spilled out in her depths, his thrusts now shallower. He then stopped and looked down at her, a delirious smile on his face as he kissed her and then rolled to his side.

He began lazily running his fingers up down her arm, almost as though he was memorizing the feel of her scar. She took a few moments to catch her breath, staring deep into his eyes.

It was just on the tip of her tongue to say those three words she had been dying to say since the day she left Romania. But still, she couldn’t. As near perfect as this moment was, she didn’t feel as though the time was right.

So instead she leaned over and kissed him, then settled into his arms. There was plenty of time for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another chapter! Happy that I’m finished writing this one and eager to share the rest of the story with you guys. ^_^
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	18. Taking the Mickey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Charlie decides to take Ophelia out for a romantic date, but family always has a way of meddling.

**Taking the Mickey**

Ophelia sighed as she sat back in her chair and rubbed her face. She had been staring at a layout plan for the main camp for what felt like forever and her vision was starting to get a bit blurry. Not to mention her stomach was beginning to grumble and for a moment she couldn’t remember the last time she ate.

Since Charlie arrived (save for Saturday), the team had been practically living at the ministry, attempting to get the research finished and put together in a fashion that would be easy to explain and understand. While it wasn’t exactly how she had hoped to spend Charlie’s time in Britain - she was mostly sure it wasn’t how he had intended to spend it either - it was unavoidable.

At least he had been true to his word and every day he was in the conference room, wallowing through numbers, financials and everything with her and the team. At night, they would get back to her flat with just enough energy to perhaps eat something and then fall asleep.

In Ophelia’s book, Charlie Weasley was a saint. Though at the moment, she wasn’t quite sure where he had disappeared to, nor just how long he had been gone.

“How are those numbers?” she asked, looking over at Bletchley, who seemed just as tired as she did. 

“Think I’ve got the last of it worked out,” he said, staring down at his own set of parchments. 

“Thank, Merlin,” Ophelia sighed. About that time, Leanne rushed in, her face bright. “Please tell me that’s good news.”

“Of course!” Leanne gushed, running over to her and putting a pile of papers down in front of her. “I’ve found a construction company with a good reputation, who will donate part of their work, lowering the cost by half. Apparently, the owner has a son who works with dragons or something and is thrilled to have a reserve closer to home.” Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly as she looked down at the parchments, going through them.

“Absolutely brilliant, Leanne,” she said, starting to grin. 

“And I spoke with the head of healer training at St. Mungo’s. They’re interested in the apprenticeship program, meaning we only need to hire three full-time healers and the rest can be covered through that,” Leanne continued. “Still need to schedule a meeting to go through the details and put together a contract, but they’ve practically said they would do it.”

“Fantastic!” Ophelia said, her spirits lifting. “Yer a genius, Leanne!” The other woman blushed slightly.

“Well, you did all the figures and work. I just relayed the deal to them,” she said. 

Ophelia looked at the two and continued grinning, then glanced around the room at the various maps and parchments posted up on the wall.

“I think we just might do this,” she said.

“Merlin, Wood, I could have told you that after the first two days of working with you,” Bletchley said, smiling. “Like Greene said, you did most of the work. We’re just filling in the gaps.” Ophelia blushed slightly and looked back down at the parchments in front of her. 

“Well, got that figured… now for the rest of it,” she said, sighing.

“Figured you lot could use some provisions.”

Ophelia looked up, seeing Charlie walking in with his arms laden down with bags of food.

“So that’s where you disappeared to,” Ophelia said with a grateful smile.

“With the way we’ve been working all morning, reckoned you’d forget about lunch,” he said, walking over and putting the bags down on the table, Bletchley and Leanne following close behind him.

Already Ophelia’s stomach was protesting loudly as the smell wafted over to her. 

“As much as I hoped to get you and Flint together, I have to admit I’m grateful you found Weasley,” Bletchley said, already reaching into a bag for a container. Ophelia blushed slightly as Charlie winked at her. “Merlin, can’t believe I said that about a Weasley.” He then stopped, his eyes widening as he looked up at the burly man. He gulped and backed away a bit.

“Suppose you’re not so bad for a Slytherin,” Charlie quipped in return. Bletchley laughed nervously and then walked over to sit down, already digging into his food. Charlie walked over, holding out a container to Ophelia. “What are you working on?”

“Going over the layout for the main camp,” she said, looking back down at the parchments. “Something just… feels off with it, but I’m no so sure what it is. Feels like I’ve been starin’ at it for hours.” Charlie leaned over her side, one hand bracing against the table next to her while the other came to rest on her upper back. Even though they were in a room with others, Ophelia couldn’t help the shiver that ran down her spine. 

“Right… I see what you’re talking about. What if we…” he stopped speaking as he reached over for a pencil and started drawing, his other hand leaving her back. Ophelia sat up in her chair, her eyes widening slightly as she watched him rework the plans. 

“Charlie Weasley, what other talents are ye hiding?” she asked, glancing up at him. He smiled, though she noticed he was blushing slightly. 

“There’s a fair bit of downtime on the reserve,” he said. “You pick up things.” Ophelia chuckled and looked back down at the plans. 

“Ye think ye could go over some of the plans for the enclosures and habitats wi’ me?” she asked. 

“Sure,” he replied. Ophelia turned in her chair, looking up at him.

“You are most definitely saving our lives,” she said gratefully. 

“Just giving a bit extra help is all,” Charlie said, scratching the back of his neck as his blush deepened.

“Stop being so modest. I swear, you two were made for each other,” Bletchley said, his mouth full of food. Ophelia looked over at him and chuckled, but mostly so she didn’t have to look at Charlie, sure that she was now blushing as well. She then turned back to the plans. 

“Well, let’s post these up and then start on the rest,” she said, standing. 

“Post these up and then eat,” Charlie ordered. “We can get to the rest of it once your stomach stops growling like a dragon.” She glanced at him, a smile tugging at her lips. 

“Fine,” she said, grabbing her wand and waving it. The plan rose into the air and attached itself to the wall, next to others laying out other details they would need for the proposal. 

Ophelia then stepped back and looked it over. It was true everything was coming together, it still felt there was so much to do before they were ready to present the following Monday morning.

Merlin, was it already that soon? She couldn’t help as a spike of anxiety coursed through her. How would they ever be ready for this?

“Ah, how is my favorite team doing?” Mr. Larkins asked as he walked into the conference room with a warm smile. Ophelia felt her nerves increase as she looked around at the absolute mess they had created, though her boss casually walked over to the wall and started looking over everything.

“Still have loads more work, but we are getting there,” Ophelia said nervously.

“I’d say that you’re far closer than _getting there_ ,” Larkins said, glancing at her. He then stepped up and looked closer at the plan for the layout of the main camp. “Is this the main camp?”

“Yes, sir. Charlie helped out. He’s going to look over the blueprints for the other structures as well,” Ophelia said. Larkins continued studying the plan.

“Brilliant idea bringing Weasley on board,” Larkins said, glancing at her and then turning to look at everyone in the room. “I’m incredibly impressed with your work.”

“Truly, it’s a team effort,” she said earnestly. 

“Yes, but a team is only as good as its leader. And so far, you are proving that you are a most capable leader,” Larkins said, grinning at her. His eyes then slid over to Charlie, fixing him in a look that Ophelia didn’t understand, but just brushed aside, thinking her mind was playing tricks on her. “Well, then - I’ll let you get back to work, though if I may make a suggestion?”

“Yes, sir,” Ophelia said quickly.

“Take the night off. You’ve all earned it,” he then nodded and walked out of the room.

“Yes!” Bletchley said, already celebrating.

“We can’t take the night off,” Ophelia scoffed. “Do you not see the mountains of work left to do?”

“Seriously, Wood. We have this,” Bletchley said, on the verge of whining. 

“But-”

“Larkins is right,” Charlie said, reaching out and taking her hand. Ophelia turned to look at him, her eyes wide. “Keep this up and you’ll be dead before you can give the proposal.”

She looked around the room, clearly seeing that she was outnumbered. Finally, she huffed.

“Alright. If ye think that we should take a night off, then we’ll take a night off. But I expect everyone here bright and early tomorrow mornin’,” she said, already seeing the grins breaking out. “But - the day’s no over yet.”

“Yes, boss,” Bletchley said, taking another bite of his lunch. Ophelia rolled her eyes and sat back down, though she couldn’t help but smile. Charlie sat next to her and reached for a container of food, glancing at Ophelia.

“I was thinking… we haven’t really had the chance for a proper date,” he said, dropping his voice so that Leanne and Bletchley - who were thankfully in the middle of a discussion about what they intended to once the proposal pitch was over. 

Ophelia turned to look at him, her eyebrows slightly raised. 

“What was dinner at yer cabin, then?” she asked, smiling. Charlie chuckled and shook his head. 

“I mean… I want to take you out. Just the two of us. A nice restaurant and such. No co-workers or brothers or anyone else,” he said, taking her hand and caressing the back of it with his thumb. “Since we have the night off an all.”

Ophelia chuckled and propped her chin in her hand, smiling at him.

“Aye, I could do that,” she said. “Do ye have to be back at the Burrow? Ye’ve been staying with me the last few nights and I do not want to anger yer mother.”

“Actually… Mum thinks I’m staying with Perce,” Charlie said, suddenly avoiding her eyes. “Told her I was helping out with something at the Ministry and it made more sense to stay in the Alley.”

Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly. While she wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t told his mother that he was staying at her flat - truly, only Oliver and Daria really knew on her side. She didn’t want Duncan showing up in a mood or really felt it was any of his business. As for her parents, though she was an adult, Ophelia couldn’t help but feel slightly mortified if her parents found her boyfriend was practically living with her. 

“Oh,” Ophelia said, turning to her food, her brow slightly furrowed. “Ehm, so… does she know about us?” Charlie sighed, causing her to look over at him.

“Honestly? I told her that I’ve met someone. That she makes me incredibly happy and I can’t think about anything but her,” he said, smiling slightly and Ophelia felt butterflies start up. “But I’ve yet to tell her that it’s you.”

“Any reason in particular?” Ophelia couldn’t help but ask. 

“Phillie, you know how they are,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Mum’s already been giving me the third degree and she doesn’t even know it’s you. Not to mention, as soon as George, Ginny and the rest find out, there will be no peace. I like having them out of my relationship for the most part.”

“Ah, here I was worried ye were embarrassed of me,” she said. 

“Merlin, no!” Charlie exclaimed, his face stricken, though he saw the small smile on Ophelia’s face. 

“It’s fine. I understand. I would have liked to have waited before telling my family,” she said, reaching over and squeezing his hand. “If anyone understands a meddling family, it’s me.” 

Charlie leaned over and brushed a light kiss against her lips, then leaned his forehead against hers. 

“Thanks for understanding,” he said softly.

“Oi, get a room!” Bletchley shouted across the room. Ophelia and Charlie looked over at him, the two laughing.

“Eat. Then back to work. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can whisk you off to a romantic evening,” Charlie said.

Ophelia nodded and turned her attention to her lunch, suddenly excited about what the night would entail.

~~~

Ophelia’s eyes widened as Charlie led her into the restaurant, her gaze immediately going up to the ceiling, which had crawling, flowering vines that ran down columns and walls, fireflies lazily flying around the blooms.

“Charlie,” she said, looking at him in surprise. “This is… wow.”

“Just wait,” he said, tucking her arm in his as he stepped up to the maître d’ and gave his name. The young witch checked the list and then asked them to follow. 

Ophelia couldn’t help as she continued looking around, finding that many of the tables were small and sat in cozy nooks, offering the diners a fair bit of privacy. There were so many fireflies that it cast a warm glow on the entire restaurant with the only other lighting coming from candles on the tables. 

But much to her surprise, they weren’t seated at any of the cozy nooks. Instead they were led into another chamber that was even more beautiful than the first. Around the edges of the room, large tree trunks rose up the wall, their branches stretching out with magical lanterns floating in them. Through the branches and leaves, Ophelia could make out an expansive starry sky that reminded her of Romania and their camping trip.

She was stunned speechless as they were sat at a table, her gaze fixed up at the ceiling. 

“How on earth did ye find this place?” she asked, finally looking down at Charlie. 

“Ehm, well… Bill may have helped me out a bit. Sent him an owl this afternoon while you were in a meeting,” he said. Even in the glow of the candlelight, Ophelia could see a bit of a flush crawling up his neck. “Wanted to take you somewhere special because… with as busy and stressed out as you’ve been lately… thought you deserved it…” 

Charlie stopped fumbling through his words as he looked down at his menu, which seemed a bit odd to Ophelia. This certainly wasn’t their first time out together, so she wasn’t so sure why he’d be nervous. Though truthfully, she couldn’t help as a bit of her own nerves set it. Might not be their first time out together, but as he had said earlier, it was sort of their first proper date. She fidgeted slightly in her chair, grateful when the server arrived to take their order and Charlie ordered wine along with their food.

“This place, it really is enchanting,” Ophelia said, looking up again. “Reminds me of our camping trip to Dragon’s Head Ridge.” She ventured a glance at Charlie, finding him staring at her, a soft look on his face.

“That’s why I chose it,” he said. She couldn’t help but smile, looking down at her lap. “You look… amazing tonight, Phillie. I mean - you always look amazing, but…” 

Ophelia looked up at him, seeing him frown slightly. It was strange to see him get tongue-tied now and she ventured a glance down at her dress. While she did like the way she looked in it, it was a simple black dress. Was something else going on here?

She then thought back to that day at Bucharest. When he reached out to her and started to say something, but she had disappeared first. Her heart started racing slightly. Perhaps he was so nervous because he was finally going to say whatever it was. And perhaps it was the same thing she hoped to say to him.

Thankfully, their wine arrived and the two eagerly reached for their glasses, taking generous drinks. Merlin, why was she suddenly so nervous?

“I really appreciate all yer help,” she said, looking over to him, finding it the best place to start. “Truly.” 

Charlie smiled and put his glass down, reaching over and taking her hands in his.

“I’m happy to give it. Especially if it means I can spend more time with you,” he said. Ophelia could feel herself blushing slightly. “And actually, there was a reason I came to visit… more than just to see you…”

He looked down, starting to fidget in his chair slightly and Ophelia swore her heart was about to pound out of her chest. Merlin, he was going to say it, wasn’t he? He took a deep breath and then looked up, meeting her eyes. Even in the dim lighting, she could see the fire in them.

“Ophelia… I-”

“Merlin’s beard, would you look who it is, Angie?”

Both Charlie and Ophelia whipped their heads over, seeing a grinning George standing at their table, his girlfriend Angelina standing next to him, though she didn’t seem quite so giddy as he did. In fact, she was glaring daggers at him.

“George,” Ophelia said, finding it was the only word that seemed to come out of her mouth. She could feel Charlie’s grip on her hands tighten and ventured a look at him, seeing he was now scowling at his younger brother. She didn’t blame him. If she wasn’t so shocked, she’d likely attempt to throttle him herself.

George had completely ruined the moment.

“Had a feeling there was something more than a work project keeping Charlie here in Britain,” George said, moving to sit down at the table. Ophelia’s mouth dropped open as Angelina rolled her eyes and huffed. “And well… we’ve been placing bets on who this mystery girl was. I completely called Phillie here, since I knew you spent a month over in Romania from Oliver…”

“George! I told you not to bother them,” Angelina said, stomping up and grabbing his arm, attempting to lift him up from the chair. But George was too busy grinning at Charlie. He didn’t budge at all.

“Look at that… my older brother and Wood’s little sister,” he said brightly.

“We’re twins,” Ophelia said defensively.

“Meant Duncan, of course. How did he take the news?” George asked, waving his wand and two more glasses appeared on the table. Ophelia’s eyes widened as he reached for the bottle and poured himself and Angelina a glass. For her part. Angelina looked horrified. Ophelia was still too stunned to say much of anything.

“That well, huh?” George said with a chuckle. He lifted his glass up. “So what anniversary is this? Two weeks? Three?”

“What the hell are you doing here, George?” Charlie growled, finally speaking. Ophelia looked over at him and swore there was smoke coming out of his ears. 

“Oh, well, thought I’d take Angie out tonight. Happened to ask Bill if he had any good suggestions and he told me this place,” George replied lightly. “Apparently he suggests this place to a lot of people. Purely coincidence that we ran into you.” He looked over at Ophelia and winked. “Always lovely to see you, Phillie. Mum sends her love.”

Charlie closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he finally let go of Ophelia’s hands and braced his on the table. 

“I’m going to give you until the count of three-”

“Oh, Charlie, you wouldn’t want to make a scene in such a lovely place, would you?” George interjected. Charlie’s eyes flew open and for a moment, Ophelia thought he just might jinx the hell out of his brother.

“It’s fine,” she said quickly, hoping to stop an all-out brawl. Charlie gaped at her, as Angelina stopped trying to pull George away, equally as stunned. George just grinned and took a drink of his wine. Ophelia sighed. “They’re already here… might as well make the most of it.” 

Charlie stared at her in confusion and then looked over at Angelina and George a moment before sighing and sitting back in his chair.

“By all means, join us,” he said dryly.

“Lovely, don’t mind if we do,” George replied cheerfully. Angelina shot him a look before sitting next to him.

“How are things, Ophelia?” she asked, smiling nervously at her.

“Good. Busy. Working on a proposal to reopen Hebrides at the moment,” Ophelia said, reaching for her own glass. 

“Ah, right. Wood’s told us about it,” Angelina said. “Says you’ve been spending all your time at the Ministry.” Ophelia nodded, though saw George now grinning like the cat who caught the canary out of the corner of her eye. Well, it seemed that secret was now blown as well. It would be a manner of minutes after dinner was finished for the rest of the Weasley clan to know that she was the mystery project keeping Charlie from the Burrow.

“Speaking of Wood… ran into both your brothers the other day,” George said, turning to Ophelia. “Seems they’re coming over for a match this Saturday at the Burrow. You game?”

Ophelia choked slightly on her wine as Charlie started glaring at George again. Or rather, Ophelia wasn’t sure if he had ever stopped glaring at him.

“Not sure… big project, ye ken…” she wheezed.

“Ah, but Mum would love to see you. Was asking about you just the other day,” George said, shooting a wink at Charlie. 

“George,” he said in warning. The table lapsed into silence as George continued grinning and Charlie continued scowling. After a few moments, Ophelia huffed and started laughing.

“Honestly, I think we don’t have a choice… the secret’s out,” she said, reaching over and taking Charlie’s hand in her own. He immediately relaxed, though looked over at her in confusion. 

“You sure?” he asked softly. Ophelia shrugged and smiled.

“They were going to find out sooner or later. And ye did spend last Saturday with my family,” she said. “Only fair to return the favor.”

“That’s the spirit, Phillie!” George said jovially. “You still got your broom?”

“Ehm… think so,” she replied, though now she wasn’t so sure about going now that she was expected to play quidditch. When it was just going over for a family affair, she thought she could handle that. Now that she was going to be up in the air, she felt a bit more nervous. 

She then heard Charlie chuckle and looked over.

“You’ve faced down dragons. Gotten burned. Agreed to spend the afternoon with my family, and flying is what makes you nervous?” he asked. Ophelia smiled sheepishly.

“It has been awhile,” she conceded. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall,” he whispered in her ear, causing her to blush slightly.

“Well, now that that’s out of the way… what do you suggest is good here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s so hard to not post the remaining chapters all in one go, but I am still attempting to get them up quickly. I’ll probably post another later on today since we’re so close to the end of the story.
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading and following!


	19. An Afternoon at the Burrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> And afternoon with the Weasleys reveals a lot more than Ophelia counted on.

**An Afternoon at the Burrow**

Ophelia gulped slightly as she stood in the living room at the Burrow. Sure, she had been here many times before with Oliver and Duncan and knew the Weasleys, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous as she gripped her broom tightly. She had found it buried in the back of her closet, though had hoped she wouldn’t.

“Courage, Phillie,” Charlie said softly in her ear. “Remember. You’ve tamed dragons.”

“Aye, but that doesn’t make yer family any less scary,” she replied. Charlie chuckled, though she could see a certain strain in his eyes.

“THERE YOU ARE!”

Both of them turned, seeing Molly Weasley walk into the living room, grinning. She rushed over and threw her arms around Ophelia, pulling her into a suffocating hug. 

“It’s been far too long since I’ve seen you, Ophelia,” she declared, stepping back and taking her face in her hands. She then glanced at Charlie, then back at her, and Ophelia swore she saw a sheen of tears in her eyes. 

Merlin, maybe Charlie hadn’t been over-exaggerating.

Molly then hugged her son and started pulling the two of them towards the kitchen.

“Most everyone else is here. Thought we’d have a nice little picnic outside while the weather is nice,” she said, leading them through the kitchen and out the back door. “Look who’s here, everyone.” 

Ophelia froze, the two of them now standing before the entire Weasley clan and their significant others. The younger ones - Ron and Ginny - sat at one end with none other than Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Ophelia nodded towards Hermione, sure she had a tense smile on her face. The other woman gave her an encouraging smile in return. She continued down the table seeing Percy and Audrey, then Bill and his wife Fleur, who was holding an infant – Victoire, was it? Angelina was next to Bill, then George. And her brothers. Oliver and Duncan looked as though they were fighting off laughter and Ophelia couldn’t help but scowl at them. Arthur Weasley walked over and gave Charlie a hug while the others just watched them.

Merlin, this was slightly nerve-wracking.

“Go on, take a seat, you two,” Mrs. Weasley said, pushing them towards the table. Just like that, the spell was broken, and people rose to their feet, pulling the two to the table and sitting them down. 

“Well, well, it’s not often Charlie brings someone home,” George said grandly. Both Ophelia and Charlie frowned at him. “What’s this about? Isn’t it easier having the kneazle out of the bag?” Bill chuckled and Charlie turned his glare to him.

“What are you laughing at? You were in on this,” Charlie said. Ophelia reached over and took his hand, hoping to avoid a fight between the brothers. She wasn’t sure if they were anything like her brothers but was ready to step in if needed.

“I, dear brother, did nothing of the sort,” he said. “I was willing to keep your secret. Others,” he glanced at Fleur, who was suddenly paying close attention to the squawking baby, “did not.”

Charlie’s eyes widened in shock as Fleur looked up at Bill in mock surprise.

“William,” she chided, though a grin slid across her face. 

“Did you honestly think that you’d keep it from the rest of the family for long?” Percy asked sensibly. “Or that any of them would refrain from meddling.”

“Ye did not do so well with ours,” Oliver added. Ophelia shot him a look, though he just laughed at her.

“Stop giving your brother a hard time,” Molly scolded, bringing more food to the table. “We’re happy that you’ve found someone. And more than thrilled that it’s dear Ophelia seeing as our families have been close for a long time as it is.” 

She could feel her cheeks heat up as everyone looked at her, causing her to fidget on the bench. She looked up at Charlie, who rolled his eyes and then gave her a small smile. He then slid his arm around her.

“Might as well own it,” he said in her ear. Ophelia laughed softly and shook her head. “Can’t take it back now.”

“That’s for certain,” Ophelia replied.

“What are you lot doing? Eat!” Molly encouraged as she sat down next to Mr. Weasley, though she kept sending smiles to Charlie and Ophelia. 

The group dug in - really, no one cooked like Mrs. Weasley, Ophelia had to admit - as various conversations picked up around the table. After some time, Ophelia began to wonder just why she had been so nervous about coming here today.

“So… when can we expect wedding bells?” George asked lightly from across the table, his gaze fixed on Ophelia and Charlie. The two froze, a fork halfway to Ophelia’s mouth. Ah, there it was.

“George Weasley!” Molly scolded, though the look on her face read as though she was eager to hear the answer as well. Duncan tensed noticeably.

“I think that’s none of your business,” Charlie said, now frowning. 

“Aye, ‘sides Phillie’s too young,” Duncan added. Ophelia frowned at him.

“I’m no a little girl, Duncan,” she said. Of course, she realized that was perhaps not the right thing to say as various faces up and down the table lit up, and Charlie groaned softly.

“So, soon, then?” Percy asked. Ophelia looked down at him in shock, not expecting the normally serious Weasley to take part in ribbing.

“No sooner than you,” Charlie shot down the table, smirking slightly as Percy’s face reddened a bit. He glanced down at Audrey, who was starting to smile.

“Well, actually… Audrey and I have a bit of news,” he said. 

“Percy asked me to marry him and I said yes!” Audrey gushed, unable to contain her happiness. 

Congratulations started going around the table and Ophelia was genuinely happy for the two, though more so because it took a bit of the spotlight off her and Charlie.

“Never thought I’d say this, but thank Merlin for Percy,” Charlie whispered to her.

“Aye,” Ophelia agreed, relaxing even more so.

Lunch continued on with everyone peppering the newly engaged couple with questions about the wedding, though Fleur excused herself to go put down little Victoire for a nap. Soon, it was finishing up and some of the others started getting up and stretching.

“No, absolutely not. You are waiting at least half an hour before I see any brooms in the air,” Molly ordered. It was followed by a chorus of “Yes, Mum.”

Ophelia started getting a bit nervous as Oliver - of course it would be Oliver - took charge and started divvying up teams. He settled his gaze on Ophelia, who fidgeted. She hated when he started getting analytical, as he was wont to do, even for a friendly match. 

“You’ll be fine,” Charlie said to her, squeezing her shoulder. He then looked at Oliver. “I’m on Phillie’s team.” Duncan rolled his eyes.

“Of course, ye are,” he muttered. Ophelia huffed, though Oliver just nodded.

“Then I’ve got Charlie as seeker, I’m keeper. Phillie, you can be chaser with Ginny and Angie. George and Duncan, ye’re my beaters,” Oliver said matter-of-factly.

“Not fair. You’ve got all the professionals,” Bill complained.

“Fine. Ye take Ginny and I’ll take… ehm…” Oliver faltered a bit and Ophelia couldn’t help but snicker. How her brother thought he would get away with that line-up, she wasn’t sure.

“We get Ginny and Angelina. You get Fleur and Hermione,” Bill said. “It’s only fair since you’ve got yourself and Charlie.”

“Hey!” Ron shouted. “I resent that! I played keeper for Gryffindor too! And Harry was a bloody good seeker!”

“Yea, but he’s still no Charlie,” Bill said, though he glanced at Harry. “No offense, mate.”

“None taken. I’m not as good as I used to be,” he said lightheartedly.

Ophelia only half-listened as her brother pulled their team over and started going through a strategy, knowing she likely wouldn’t be able to follow it anyway, though Charlie pulled her aside after seeing her look down at her broom for the 20th time in worry.

“Are you seriously that scared about flying?” he asked playfully.

“No,” Ophelia said, scowling at him. “Ehm… maybe a bit… Been a long time…” 

He chuckled and walked over, grabbing his own broom and then taking her hand and leading her towards the large open area where they were going to play.

“Oi! Mum said no brooms in the air yet!” Ron shouted.

“It’s been long enough. Just helping Phillie warm up a bit,” Charlie shouted back. “She hasn’t been on a broom in a long time.”

“Then you must be failing at something, Charlie!” George shouted. Charlie rolled his eyes as Ophelia shot George a dark look.

“Merlin, I didn’t realize he’d be that bad,” she muttered. 

“Suppose you’ll get used to it. Though surprised you aren’t by now,” Charlie said lightly.

“Hufflepuff, remember? I was spared the most of it, though Ollie certainly complained,” Ophelia said. 

They came to a stop and Ophelia took a deep breath before getting on her broom, gripping the handle. 

“You remember how to take off, yea?” Charlie asked. 

“Of course, I do,” Ophelia scoffed before kicking off the ground, nearly shrieking as she rose into the air much faster than she had been expecting. She came to a shuttery halt and attempted to catch her breath while waiting on Charlie to join her.

“Good start,” Charlie said, grinning as he came up to her side. 

“Yea, sure,” Ophelia said, still gripping the broomstick tightly and wondering just how she was expected to fly and catch a quaffle at the same time.

“Just need to get used to it a bit more,” Charlie said, sensing her hesitation. Ophelia nodded and then jumped slightly when he gently put his hand on hers. She looked up, meeting his eyes. “Come on. Follow me.”

He then let go of her and took off, flying far faster than Ophelia cared to go. She was tempted to yell after him but knew that wouldn’t stop him. So instead she huffed and leaned forward, urging her broom forward. She started slow at first, but found herself beginning to relax. It had been awhile since she was up on a broom and she had forgotten how much she enjoyed the wind running through her hair. The scenery.

But Charlie was pulling farther in front of her. She’d need to go faster to catch him. A grin spread across her face as she urged the broomstick faster, finding that she did remember a thing or two about flying. Oliver would be chuffed later on. 

Suddenly, Charlie came to a stop on a hill top and Ophelia followed, easily hopping off her broom at a run before coming to a stop next to him, her face lit up and her hair pulling out of her ponytail a bit.

“Merlin, I forgot how much fun that is,” she said. Charlie chuckled and pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Think you can hold your own as chaser now?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Ophelia nodded eagerly. “Good.”

She then looked around at the countryside, drinking it in. She found that the others were right. While she had thought it mad to take the day off from working on the proposal, she did need it. She was thinking much clearer and a lot of the stress she had been feeling was fading away.

“This is no so bad,” she said, looking up at him. “Being here with your family.” Charlie chuckled and looked back towards the house.

“Suppose not,” he said. “Though we seriously lucked out with Perce announcing his engagement. Otherwise they would have spent all of lunch asking us about Romania and how we got together.” 

“Even ye have to admit it’s a good story though. Stuck in a cave with a crotchety old Hebridean Black named Colonel,” Ophelia quipped. Charlie laughed and looked back down at her.

He didn’t say anything for a moment, but she could sense something in his eyes. That there was something he wanted to say. Ophelia held her breath, hoping that he’d finally tell her whatever it was he had been planning to say at supper the other night.

“OI! STOP SNOGGING AND GET BACK! MUM SAYS WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP BEFORE WE PLAY!” came George’s amplified voice across the field. 

Charlie sighed heavily and looked back towards the house, the people outside of it no bigger than ants at this distance. But they could clearly see a shock of ginger hair standing off from the others.

“Well, then. Let’s get back,” Charlie said.

“Last one there has to help yer mum with dishes,” Ophelia joked. Without giving Charlie any warning, she took off at a jog and then hopped on her broom, zooming off.

“THAT’S NOT FAIR, PHILLIE!”

~~~

Once they had landed - and Ophelia had won - Charlie headed inside the house to help his mother, while the rest began gathering up dishes. Oliver was, as expected, pleased to see that she hadn’t forgotten everything he taught her, though Duncan attempted to take some of the credit, starting the Woods brothers into another shouting match. 

Ophelia chuckled as she made her way towards the house, a pile of plates in her arms. Someone else could put out that fire, she had done it far more than she cared to admit.

“But it’s about time you move back home, don’t you think, Charlie?” 

She immediately froze, hearing Mrs. Weasley’s voice. Glancing around to make sure no one else was around, she then stepped closer to the door and peered in. She knew that it was eavesdropping and the best thing to do was to walk away or announce her presence, but she couldn’t help herself. 

Charlie’s back was to her, but she could tell from the tense way he held his shoulders that he was not happy.

“I told you, Mum. My work is in Romania,” he said, his voice strained. “We’ve had this conversation loads of times.”

“But you’ve got a perfectly lovely girl here. Don’t you want to be closer to Ophelia?” Mrs. Weasley asked. Ophelia couldn’t help but hold her breath.

“Of course, I do,” he said, sounding exasperated. “But… there’s no telling if Hebrides will work out.”

“You hush now, Charles Weasley. You know as well as I do that it’s going to work out. And they’re going to offer you a job,” Mrs. Weasley said sternly. “Besides, you’re not getting any younger. It’s time to settle down and if you don’t settle with Ophelia, it’s only a matter of time before some other bloke does.”

“Mum…”

“I see the way you look at her, Charlie. And she’s a wonderful young woman. We’d be thrilled if you made her part of the family,” Mrs. Weasley continued, causing Ophelia to blush though she was hiding outside.

Merlin, he hadn’t been lying.

“They already have offered me a position,” he said reluctantly. Ophelia’s eyes widened. When had that happened? “Mr. Larkins’ - Phillie’s boss - said if this goes through on Monday, which he thinks it will, they want me as head tamer. Already got a contract worked out and everything.”

“Oh, Charlie! That’s wonderful!” Mrs. Weasley gushed. 

“I haven’t signed anything yet,” Charlie said, cutting her off. There was silence. 

“Isn’t… isn’t that what you want?” Mrs. Weasley asked softly. “To be closer?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a heavy sigh. 

Ophelia felt her heart begin to race. Sure, she had entertained thoughts of Charlie moving to Hebrides when it opened. That they could be closer. Maybe even work together on the reserve. But why was he hesitating? Was it her?

“Mum… I just… I don’t know. Can we leave it for now?” he asked. “I really don’t want to talk about this right now.”

“Of course, dear,” Mrs. Weasley said softly. Ophelia ventured another look inside, seeing the short woman wrap her arms around her larger son. 

She took a deep breath and walked away from the door, not wanting to be discovered.

“Everything alright, Phillie?” Oliver asked. She glanced over, seeing her twin watching her with a concerned look on his face. Bugger, of course he would know something was wrong with her. She mustered a smile and nodded, begging her with his eyes not to push her on it.

“Fine,” she said. Though she looked down, realizing that she didn’t have an explanation for why she was still holding the dishes.

“Alright, you lot! Who’s ready to get your arses kicked?” Charlie boomed. Ophelia jumped and turned, seeing him walk out of the house with a bright grin on his face. She was amazed that he could change his mood so quickly, the fear of indecision no longer clinging to him.

“I, ah, I’m gonna take these in,” she said quickly, starting towards the back door, blinking rapidly.

_“Ye are not about to cry, Ophelia Wood,”_ she ordered herself.

But Merlin, how she wanted to. 

~~~

“Phillie, what’s wrong?” Charlie asked as soon as they stepped out of her floo that night. She whirled around, her eyes wide. 

She thought she had been good at hiding everything for the rest of the day. And it had been easy during the match. But she had tensed up slightly when they were making their goodbyes. And she had insisted on leaving right after the match, though the others were sticking around a bit longer for drinks. 

She had said it was because of the project, but even she hadn’t missed the look of concern in Charlie’s eyes that he shared with her brothers. Though she supposed now was as good as any to get this out.

“If they offered you a spot at Hebrides… would you take it?” she asked, wanting to sound stronger and hating how her voice trembled slightly.

Charlie stared at her a few moments, seeming a mixture of confused and surprised.

“If you could… would you stay?” she asked.

Charlie sighed and turned away, running his fingers through his hair. Ophelia didn’t say anything, just waited for him to speak. Hoping that he said yes and that the hesitation from earlier was only momentary.

He was the one who had insisted that this could work. That they would work. That he wanted to be with her. But even as she thought this over and over, the same old worries from before began creeping back in and for a moment Ophelia hated herself for it.

“They have offered me a job,” he said, not turning to face her. She held her breath. She knew this much. But then part of her was angry that he hadn’t said anything until now.

“When?” she asked. 

“Wednesday,” he said, still not turning to look at her, instead walking over and leaning against the mantle, the tension running through his back.

Merlin, was this so bad that he couldn’t even look at her? Her heart then sank. This was what he wanted to tell her at dinner before George interrupted them. That he had been offered a job.

And that he didn’t know if he wanted to take it.

“Are ye… are ye thinking about it at least?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Charlie spun around, his eyes full of worry.

“Merlin, of course I am, Phillie,” he said, walking up to her. He reached for her and then stopped, instead running his fingers through his hair again as he started pacing. “I… I just… I don’t know. For so long, it was only Romania. And I have a good life there and that’s all I know now… but then…” he stopped pacing and looked over at her. “And then you came along and turned everything upside down.”

“Oh, well… sorry to have mucked things up for ye,” she said, feeling the tears pricking her eyes. Charlie groaned.

“That’s not what I mean, Phillie and you know it,” he said. “I mean… this has all been so… so fast. And yes, I know that I want to be with you, but… it’s not a small decision to just… uproot your entire life. I have to think about it.” 

Ophelia swallowed, fighting off her tears. She then took a deep breath.

“Charlie… how do you feel about me?” she asked softly. She needed to hear him say it clearly and directly. She would understand if he wasn’t sure if he was in love with her - they had only been together a few weeks as it was. Even she fought with saying it, though deep down, she knew there was no denying it.

But he didn’t say anything, just stared at her, his face unreadable. And the longer he stood silently, the more her heart broke. Finally, she turned away, closing her eyes as she brought her hands up to wipe her cheeks.

“Phillie, I-”

“It’s fine,” she said, cutting him off.

Perhaps Lazlo and Adara had been right all along. Not that Charlie played around for fun, but he never committed. While Ophelia would admit she was afraid - likely as afraid as he was - it stung that he wouldn’t even try.

“No, it’s not,” he replied. “I’ve hurt you and I said I wouldn’t.” 

“I think… I think I’d like to be alone right now,” she said, not wanting to look at him. Because if she looked at him, she would lose it and start sobbing. And the last thing she wanted was to start sobbing in front of Charlie.

“If we could just… talk…”

“Ye don’t seem so keen on talkin’ right now, Charlie,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. For a moment, she almost turned to him, seeing the pain in his eyes. 

“Phillie, I’m just… I’m not sure what I’m feeling right now,” he admitted. She swallowed and nodded, finally turning back to him.

They stood there staring at each other a few moments, neither moving nor speaking. Ophelia prayed that he would say something. That he would take her in his arms and assure her that while it’s confusing, he knew that it would be alright. 

That he loved her.

At the same time, she should do the same. But for some reason, the words wouldn’t form. Ophelia took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment.

“Maybe… maybe we just need some time apart to… to figure out what it is we feel and, and think,” she said. She didn’t want him to leave, but it was obvious that the two of them were getting nowhere trying to talk about this right now. 

And she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold out before she broke down.

Charlie didn’t move a first, but then he took a step towards her and Ophelia’s heart began to lift. But then he stopped and shook his head. He then turned around and walked to her fireplace, grabbing a handful of floo powder.

And then he was gone. 

Ophelia stared at the fireplace for only a few seconds before her knees buckled and she collapsed in a heap on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks as sobs built up in her chest.

He had left and this time, Ophelia wasn’t sure if he would come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wouldn’t be a rom-com without some drama. But never fear, decided to go ahead and post the rest of the chapters in one go, so you won’t have to wait long for the resolution.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and following!


	20. Taking the Plunge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Ophelia and Charlie do some soul searching.

**Taking the Plunge**

“Ehm… how long have you been here?” Bletchley asked as he came to a sudden halt the next morning and saw Ophelia already at the table, furiously scribbling away at a parchment.

She looked up at him, catching the worried look on his face, though she ignored it. He likely was reacting to how puffy her face looked after a night of crying. While she had managed to finally drag herself to her room, she barely slept as she went through every moment, trying to discover where things went wrong.

As it was, her head felt as though it were stuffed with cotton, but they needed to spend the day going over the proposal or else they really would fuck things up. The meeting with everyone was tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. sharp. So she had managed to drag herself to the shower and put on something she hoped would be somewhat presentable for a Sunday in the office and was now determined to put any and all thoughts of Charlie Weasley out of her mind for the time being.

“Not that long,” she said dully, looking back down at the parchment. Leanne walked in just behind Bletchley and frowned. She started to open her mouth, but he shook his head quickly, signaling that they should get to work. 

The two walked over and sat down at the table, reaching for parchments and quills.

“Where’s Charlie?” Leanne asked, causing Bletchley to groan and drop his head in his hands. Ophelia looked over at her.

“He’s not coming,” she said firmly. “But doesna matter. We need to finish up all the details. The sooner we have that, the sooner ye can go home.” She then looked back down at the parchment as Leanne looked over at Bletchley, the two of them clearly wondering what had happened between the two yesterday. They both knew that they had spent the day with the Weasleys.

“Now, I’m taking care of the introduction and the conclusion. The cost analysis looks good, though… I think we need more in local benefits…”

~~~

A few hours later, Ophelia stood still as stone waiting for Bletchley or Leanne to say something. As the team leader, they had voted for her to do the final presentation and she had just run through it for the first time.

While she had a list a mile long of her own improvements, she wanted to hear what they had to say. But currently they were both killing her with their silence. 

“Well… I honestly think we have nothing to worry about,” Bletchley finally said, a grin appearing. 

“It’s a solid proposal,” Leanne added. Ophelia smiled and looked down at her notes, but then frowned.

“But I think I could tighten up here… and here,” she said. She could hear the others sigh as she crossed a few things out and added a few more in. She then stepped back and looked at the parchments laid flat across the table. 

There was still more work to be done, but she knew there was no reason to keep the others here any longer. It was Sunday and they likely had things to do. From this point on, it was mostly just practicing the pitch, which she could do on her own.

“Ye two can go home, if ye like,” Ophelia said, looking up at them.

“We’re not leaving you here to do all the work,” Leanne scoffed, though Bletchley shot her an annoyed look.

“It’s fine. I’m just going to be rehearsin’. Probably take it home and do it there, to be honest,” Ophelia said, feeling guilty that she had dragged them in for as long as she had so far. 

“Well… if you’re sure…” Bletchley said, slowly rising from his chair.

“I am,” Ophelia said, smiling at them. The two gathered up their things and then gave a few quick suggestions before heading out of the conference room. 

Once she was alone with her thoughts, Ophelia sighed heavily as she looked down at her notes and then up around the room. The walls were still covered in designs, graphs and notes - all laid out in straight, organized rows. Her eyes then fell on the map that she and Charlie had put together, marking the layout of the reserve. 

Walking over to it, Ophelia wrapped her arms around herself as she started at the broad, thick marks he had made as he redrew various buildings, making them bigger and smaller, his familiar handwriting next to them, noting out various things.

An ache filled Ophelia’s chest as she reached out and brushed her fingers over the lines, smudging them slightly. Just a few days ago, everything seemed perfect. They were working together on the Hebrides project, spending their nights together at her home. And when she fell asleep, she dreamed about the two of them working together at the new reserve.

And now she wasn’t sure what was happening or if that future would happen. Though, in the light of day after their discussion last night, Ophelia thought that perhaps she had been a bit unfair.

This was still new - only a few weeks old. Just because she had gone and fallen in love with Charlie didn’t mean he was obligated to fall in love with her. Or give up his career and life in Romania just because of her. He had a point - Ophelia couldn’t imagine uprooting her entire life to move to some far-off country just for a man.

But…

Scotland was more akin to moving home for Charlie. However, even still… she understood. As much as she would want to drop everything and move to the sanctuary in Romania with Charlie, there was a lot to think about. She would be moving far from her friends and family. 

She would be giving up Hebrides. 

Sighing, Ophelia looked away, her eyes traveling back to her notes spread out neatly on the table. She had spent the last few years trying to get someone to listen to her and take her proposal to reopen Hebrides seriously. And now she finally was. 

No, it was far more than that. She was on the cusp of seeing her dream come true. Of working with dragons and helping rebuild the local population.

Was she really so willing to give that up for Charlie? And if she wasn’t, was it so fair for her to expect him to give up Romania for her? It wasn’t, she realized. Even though it hurt. Even though she wanted nothing more than to hear that he was moving back to be closer to her, she couldn’t ask him to give up his life, his dream.

Because she wasn’t about to give up hers.

Ophelia walked over and stood at the end of the table, looking over her notes. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly letting it out.

_“This is yer chance, Ophelia Grace Wood. Focus on that. Focus on getting this right. Ye can worry about everythin’ else later. But do not muck this up.”_

She then opened her eyes, staring out at the room and imagining she was meeting the eyes of Minister Shacklebolt.

“Good morning, gentlemen. For years, dragons roamed the lands of this great country, living peacefully with those around them. And then over time… the numbers dropped. More migrated to other countries, until finally… we are looking at a serious shortage of local breeds. So much so that they’ve been placed on the list of endangered magical creatures,” she said, her voice smooth and clear.

“Many believe that we’re past hope and that we should let nature play out as intended. But I refuse to believe that. Not while there’s breath in my body and not while there’s a viable plan to not only rebuild the population of local breeds, but to save many, many more dragons…”

~~~

Charlie pushed himself up into a sitting position, unsure of what time it was exactly. The sun was still pouring through the drapes on the window, telling him that at least he hadn’t wasted the entire day. But at the same time, he didn’t have much motivation to get up and do anything anyway.

After he left Ophelia’s, he went straight to Shell Cottage, nearly giving Fleur a heart attack when he suddenly stepped out of the fireplace. Bill had rushed into the kitchen after she had shrieked, took one look at his face and then led him into the den where he poured him a large glass of firewhiskey.

He didn’t ask what happened or pushed Charlie to speak, long knowing that no amount of prodding would get him to speak when he wasn’t ready. Rather, the two brothers sat and drank a few glasses quietly before Bill told Charlie that he could have one of the guest rooms if he needed it. Charlie had thanked him and gone to bed, though snuck downstairs after he was sure both Bill and Fleur were asleep to snitch the bottle of firewhiskey, which he then finished on his own.

Charlie was confused, upset and terrified. 

He hadn’t intended for anyone to find out about the job offer until he had figured what he was going to do about it. Larkins had cornered him as he went out to fetch everyone lunch, telling him he was exactly what Hebrides needed in a head dragon tamer. While Charlie was flattered, he also knew the work that went into such a position and he wasn’t so sure that he was cut out for it. Not to mention, it would mean leaving Romania which had been his home for almost 10 years as it was. Up until that point, he had never spent much time thinking about leaving Romania. 

And then there was Ophelia.

Charlie had known for a couple weeks now that he loved her. Had nearly told her so as she was leaving to go back to England. Then had nearly said it again when George interrupted them at dinner. And each time, he grew more frustrated.

But then the worry would begin. What if this was all some sort of grand sign that he and Ophelia weren’t meant to be? That he was wrong, and things would never work out between them.

That he was destined to forever be alone.

Charlie rubbed his face, wincing as he thought to her face last night. The pain in her eyes. He wanted to make it all go away, but at the same time he was afraid that he couldn’t. That instead he would cause more.

A knock sounded on the door and Charlie looked over, sighing. He was surprised Bill and Fleur left him alone this long.

“Come in,” he said.

The door opened and Bill stepped in, glancing back to someone else in the hallway. He then walked across the room and another stepped into the doorway. Charlie was surprised to see Duncan there.

“Aye, ye were right. He is a bloody mess,” Duncan said, glancing at Bill and then back at Charlie. He crossed his arms in front of him, a stern look coming over his features.

“Come to box me, have you?” Charlie asked dully, waiting for it. This time he knew he deserved whatever it was Duncan intended.

“Thought I’d be sensible… hear ye out… then I can decide just what ye deserve,” Duncan said. “If ye look this bad, I can only imagine what Phillie’s feelin’.” Charlie looked up at him and then over at his brother. He sighed and leaned over on his knees, his eyes fixed on the floor.

“I’ve really fucked this up,” he said. 

“And how so? Far as we all knew, ye were the perfect couple yesterday,” Duncan said. Charlie laughed wryly and shook his head.

“Dunno. I thought it was fine as well until just before we left. And then when I asked her about it… it all went downhill,” he said. 

“Maybe if you told us what happened?” Bill suggested. 

“I’ve been offered the head tamer position at Hebrides - if it reopens, anyway,” Charlie said. “But I don’t know if I want to take it.” He glanced up, seeing no judgement in either man’s face. He took a deep breath to continue, but Duncan interrupted him.

“Yer aff yer heid if ye think I’m gonna believe this is about a fuckin’ job,” he said. Charlie’s eyes widened slightly. “Ye forget, I’ve lived wi’ ye for seven years. Known about every lassie ye’ve kissed or wanted to kiss. I’ve seen ye pinin’ and I’ve seen ye happy. But I’ve _never_ seen ye the way ye are with Phillie or the way ye are right now _about_ Phillie.” Charlie swallowed and looked to the ground, frowning slightly. He then met Duncan’s gaze, this time not shying away from it.

“I love her,” he stated. 

Duncan didn’t say anything at first, but then he finally cracked a small smile.

“Alright. Now we’re getting somewhere,” he said. “What’s so horrible about being in love wi’ my sister that ye look as though ye favorite dragon died?” 

Charlie rolled his eyes and huffed.

“Not like you would know. When was the last time you even had a girl?” Charlie asked, slightly irritated and defensive. Duncan frowned. 

“Ye ungrateful bast-”

“We’re trying to help, Charlie,” Bill shouted, shooting a warning look at Duncan. The Scot huffed and then motioned for them to continue. Bill turned back to Charlie.

The tamer was now back to staring at the floor, his brow furrowed. He finally closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m terrified,” he said, not wanting to see the looks on their faces. It was slightly embarrassing to be admitting this to them. “I mean… I don’t want to hurt her. Or muck it up. But also, what if it doesn’t work out? What if I let her in and… it just… it doesn’t work?”

Neither man said anything for a moment, so Charlie opened his eyes and looked up. Bill was smiling softly, a look of understanding in his eyes. Duncan’s frown had faded, though Charlie wasn’t exactly sure what he was thinking. 

“I’ve never felt like this for anyone,” Charlie said. “I bloody don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Unfortunately, that’s just love for you,” Bill said with a chuckle. 

“Doesn’t really help me,” Charlie grumbled. “Phillie’s going to go into that meeting tomorrow and blow them away. Then she’ll get Hebrides up and running. Even working with dragon tamers, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as fearless as her. Who knows what they want and goes after it like she does… I can’t stand the thought of not having her in my life, but at the same time, I’ve never been more petrified… To the point that… I can’t make a decision.

“Stay. Go. Move to Hebrides. Be with Ophelia. Go back to Romania. Be alone. I just…” Charlie stopped speaking as he sighed heavily. He wasn’t even making sense to himself.

“Unfortunately, we can’t tell you what to do,” Bill said. Charlie looked up at him. “But you know that.” Charlie nodded, frowning again. Of course, he knew that, but it didn’t make the decision any easier. 

“One thing I do know is… I love her,” Charlie said, looking up at Duncan. He nodded.

“I ken,” he replied. He then glanced at Bill and started towards the door, obviously feeling as though all that could be said had been said, but then stopped. Sighing, he turned back to look at Charlie. “I don’t ken much about… commitment and all… ye got that right, but… if it were me… if there was a woman that I felt for the way ye say ye feel for Phillie… I’d swallow my pride and take the leap. Though it might scare the shite out of me, I’d take the plunge. Because she’d be worth it.”

He looked to the floor a moment, as though he was making sure there wasn’t anything more to say. He then looked back up at Charlie and nodded, before turning and striding out of the room. 

Charlie slowly let out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.

“Suppose… just think about it,” Bill said, walking over and clamping his hand on his brother’s shoulder, squeezing it slightly. “You don’t have to decide anything now. For all we know, the Ministry may decide not to go forward with the proposal. Then that’s one problem solved… suppose.”

“Right,” Charlie said, though he knew well enough that the Ministry turning down the proposal would solve nothing between him and Ophelia. Bill then turned and walked out of the room, leaving Charlie alone once more.

He leaned over and ran his fingers through his hair, going over everything his brother and Duncan said. It made sense, but he was still left feeling utterly confused over what he wanted to do. Groaning, Charlie pushed up from the bed and began pacing around the room. 

The more he paced, the more he thought about Ophelia.

The way she smiled. How her eyes lit up when she got excited about something or finally figured out a solution to a problem. Her no-nonsense way of talking. How she stood up to her brothers - both at school and now. The firm, yet gentle way she spoke to all the animals at her flat. To the dragons.

How utterly broken she had looked when he left yesterday. 

Charlie stopped pacing and walked over to the window, pulling the curtain back to look at the beach and ocean beyond. He thought about going back to Romania. Working with Colonel and the other dragons. Tending to Rupert.

_“Don’t ye laugh, Charlie Weasley! It’s a good Scottish name! And ye said I could name him whatever I wanted!”_

A faint smile crossed his face. She had gotten rather worked up about that before he told her that he agreed. He then thought of the mountains. Sitting on Dragon’s Head.

_“Ye made that story up just now…”_

Charlie closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against the glass. He thought about walking through the forests surrounding the main camp. Going home to his cabin.

_“I could get used to this… being wined and dined by ye…”_

Charlie’s eyes flew open as he looked back out at the beach. While he still had plenty of wonderful memories from living in Romania, he suddenly realized that all his best memories there, they had now been replaced with ones involving Ophelia.

The mud fight. Getting stuck in the cave during the storm. Even just sitting with her at night, the two of them talking about anything, nothing. Everything.

In that moment, Charlie realized that if he turned down the job, if he went back to Romania leaving things as they were, he would regret it for the rest of his life. While he was still slightly terrified of what the future held, he knew one thing for sure.

He didn’t want to have a future without Ophelia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter was a late-in-the-game addition. Because I felt like we needed to see what was going on in both Ophelia and Charlie’s minds before launching into the next chapter (which you’ll understand when you read it). And see the process of how they go from the argument after the Weasleys to, well, the next chapter.
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	21. The Final Pitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> The day has arrived - Ophelia has to present her proposal for Hebrides to the Minister of Magic.

**The Final Pitch**

Ophelia sat in her office, staring down at her notes, organized in one neat pile. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, willing herself to calm down. She was feeling jumpy and on edge despite the fact that she knew the presentation inside and out. 

Last night, she had been barely able to sleep, her mind like a maelstrom, though surprisingly she was up far earlier than normal, worried she would oversleep. While part of it had been the presentation she was due to give in a short time, the other part had been her conversation with Charlie on Saturday. 

He hadn’t contacted her at all yesterday, though she expected as much. They left things on an uncertain note and if he was feeling anything like she was, everything was a mess in his mind. It would take time to figure out, and it was time she just didn’t have at that moment. 

There was something bigger at stake than her current mess of a love life.

Though at the same time, Ophelia couldn’t help but wish that Charlie would be there. He knew how important today was for her. And even with everything going on, he still had the ability to calm her. And calm was something she desperately needed right now.

Swallowing, she closed her eyes and pushed aside the image of Charlie in her mind and focused on Hebrides. She saw the structures, the tamers.

The dragons. 

She opened her eyes, confidence now starting to build up inside her. She could do this. They had been preparing for two weeks, though she, herself, had been preparing for years. All the information was there in her mind - to the point where she almost didn’t need her notes. This was for the dragons. For Colonel and Rupert.

Taking a deep breath, she stood and picked up her notes as Leanne and Bletchley walked in. Leanne looked like she was about to vomit, but Bletchley was calm and cool. As usual.

“You ready for this, Wood?” he asked. She smiled at him and nodded.

“More than ready,” she said. He cracked a smile at her.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he said. “Let’s go.”

~~~

Ophelia stood in the large conference room where they were to give the presentation. They got there early to set up and now she stood still, looking at the plans and photos that were suspended in the air.

“I’m so glad I’m not the one speaking,” Leanne said, stepping up to her side. Ophelia glanced at her and back at their audiovisuals. “Just thinking about speaking makes me sick.”

“It’s no so bad,” Ophelia said. Leanne laughed nervously.

“How are you so calm right now?” she asked.

“When ye face down a few dragons, ye find that there are loads of things that are no longer scary,” Ophelia said with a sigh. She then smiled at Leanne. “Dinnae fash. It’ll be fine. And I couldna have done any of this without ye.” 

Leanne blushed slightly, looking at her feet. 

“Teamwork, right?” she asked. Ophelia nodded and then looked down and straightened her robes. There were only a few minutes before everyone arrived. 

“Good morning all,” Mr. Larkins said as he rushed in, a witch with a tea trolley close behind. Just as Ophelia looked up from her robes, everyone straightened up as the Minister strode in. 

He was tall and imposing, his robes immaculate and his mouth set in a stern line. But just as Ophelia started to get nervous, she caught the warmth in his eyes and a slight curling up of his lips.

“Ah, Minister Shacklebolt,” Larkins said, walking over to him. He shook his hand, the Minister only nodding in reply. “This is our team working on the project. Leanne Greene, Miles Bletchley and the team leader, Ophelia Wood.”

“Good morning, Minister,” Ophelia said as he walked over and shook all of their hands. He studied her a moment, a curious look entering his eyes.

“I’ve heard great things about your work, Ms. Wood. You spent a month in Romania, yes?” he asked. Ophelia nodded.

“Learned a great deal about dragons and how to run a reserve,” she said, willing her voice to be calm and confident. 

“That is good to hear,” he said. “I’m eager to see what you have.”

He then walked over and sat down, the witch quickly stepping over with a teacup that she placed in front of him. He made small talk with Larkins, though his gaze would often return to the photographs and plans, coolly studying them. Soon enough the heads of the magical creatures department and finance bustled in, the two also taking their seats. 

Ophelia took a deep breath as Larkins nodded to her, motioning that she could start, and Bletchley and Leanne stepped to the side, giving her the floor. Standing before the three very important people, she felt her nerves flare up for half a second before a deep calm washed over her as she looked each on in the eye, a pleasant smile on her face.

“I thank ye all for taking the time out of yer busy schedules to meet with us today,” Ophelia said clearly. “As it stands, there are far too few dragons left in the world. Our own native breeds are dwindling almost to the point of extinction. I’ll get into the numbers in a bit, but first I’d like to introduce ye to someone.”

She waved her wand and a photograph of herself and Colonel floated to her side, smoothly expanding until it was roughly as tall as she was.

“This is Colonel, a resident at the sanctuary in Romania. He is a Hebridean Black. A bit testy at times but has a soft heart once you break through the tough exterior,” she said, a fond smile on her face as she looked over at the photograph. “He injured his leg and wing escaping a poacher’s trap and as such, it’s not truly known if he’ll be able to fly again. He is one of many Hebridean Blacks that have migrated to that area after the shutdown of the reserve at Hebrides due to poor funding.” 

Ophelia paused a moment, once again going around and meeting each person’s eyes, holding the minister’s gaze the longest.

“But it’s time for Colonel and others like him to come home. And I can show you that it is not only possible to re-open Hebrides, but necessary, and dare I say, potentially profitable. Though at the very least, it can be self-sustaining...”

~~~

Ophelia kept her calm as she walked with Leanne and Bletchley through the Ministry until they were back in the safety of their office. Larkins had stayed behind, but his face had said it all as the three left the room. 

“That was brilliant!” Leanne gushed as soon as they walked in, turning to face her. “You were amazing, Ophelia! There’s no way they’ll turn down the proposal.”

“Dunno. Finance certainly had a lot of questions,” Ophelia said with a slight frown.

“Questions that you answered thoroughly,” Bletchley said, walking in behind them. “Greene is right - they can’t possibly turn it down. Not after you showed them all the reasons why the Ministry should reopen Hebrides. Merlin, you even got me in the heart there.”

“Ah, so ye Slytherins do have hearts?” she asked playfully. Bletchley just rolled his eyes, though remained smiling.

Ophelia chuckled, though her cheeks turned slightly pink as she started tapping her foot, finding she still had an insane amount of energy coursing through her now that the presentation was finished. 

She felt a bit like she was flying. While she might downplay her part in it all, she also couldn’t help but feel as though it was a job well done. However, she wasn’t ready to go as far as to think that it would pass. She wasn’t even sure how long they would discuss it before making a decision.

It could be a few more weeks before they got word. Merlin, how was she supposed to get through the next few weeks? She was going to die before then, surely. Maybe she would ask Daria to come over tonight to help take her mind off things.

Definitely would need it with how things still were with Charlie. But that was not something she wanted to think about now.

“Suppose the good thing is that Larkins gave us the rest of the day off,” Bletchley said with a grin. “After two weeks of hell, it was the least he could do.”

“Surely it wasna that bad,” Ophelia scoffed, starting towards her office. True it had been difficult, but she didn’t think hell was an apt description of it. And some of it had been fun.

“It wasn’t,” Leanne said, shooting him a dark look. Though Ophelia only chuckled, still feeling the energy coursing through her. 

“I’m going to sleep for the next two days,” Bletchley said. 

“I dinnae think I can sleep a wink,” Ophelia said.

“You have far too much energy, Wood!” Bletchley called out. 

Ophelia chuckled as she shook her head and continued on. While she wanted nothing more to get back to her flat, there were a few things she needed to take care of first - a few projects that she intended to start now that the presentation was out of the way. Though she’d probably end up working on them at home rather than resting.

Sighing, Ophelia pushed open her door and then stopped, her body freezing as her eyes widened.

Charlie immediately hopped up from where he had been sitting on the edge of her desk, mixed emotions crossing his face. He looked relieved at first, then hopeful, though then there was worry and guilt as he looked to the ground, his large hands twisting his wand around.

“Charlie,” Ophelia said. Even with the uncertainty of their last conversation, he still had the same effect on her. Her heart started racing as she felt an invisible thread pulling her closer to him, though she somehow managed to keep her distance.

Things were still rather uncertain, after all.

She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Bletchley and Leanne watching her with curious looks on their faces. Ophelia quickly walked in all the way to her office and shut the door behind her. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before turning around to face him.

“What are ye doing here?” she asked, her voice rather calm despite the fact that her insides were jumping around like mad. Charlie gulped, still rolling his wand between his fingers as he stared at the floor, though managed a few glances at her.

“I wanted to see how the presentation went. Knew how important it was to you,” he said. Ophelia nodded slowly as she crossed her arms in front of her.

“It went well, though we won’t know for some time how they’ll decide,” she said. “The Minister seemed open to it, though.”

“That’s good to hear. I knew you’d do well,” he said, still not quite meeting her eyes. He then shook his head slightly and turned to her, his blue eyes finally meeting her own. “I know that… things are a bit murky from Saturday.” Ophelia snorted softly before she could catch herself, causing Charlie to look to the ground again, the guilt once again in his blue eyes.

Ophelia couldn’t help as she felt her own pinch of guilt.

“I’m sorry… go on,” she encouraged, her voice much softer. Charlie looked back up at her, taking a tentative step in her direction.

“I’m sorry about everything. I… I was overwhelmed. Mum getting on to me about settling down. The job offer from the Ministry. And… realizing that I’m in love with you,” he said. Before Ophelia’s mouth dropped open, he continued on. “And I took it out on you rather than talking about it like a normal adult. And well, if I’m being honest, I was terrified. Still am to be honest. I’ve never felt for anyone the way I feel for you, Phillie. And I’m worried I’m going to fuck it all up. Or lose you to a better man someday and…” 

His voice faded out as he looked to the floor again, his brow furrowed. 

“Ye… ye’re in love with me?” Ophelia asked, her brain zeroing in on that one phrase. Charlie looked up at her, a smile started to appear as he nodded.

“Fairly sure I’ve known since Romania… but thought I might scare you off if I said it then,” he admitted. “And well… as I said, it scared me as well.”

“Same for me,” Ophelia confessed. “I realized that first night at Dragon’s Head I was in love wi’ ye. But I thought ye’d think me mad or something.” 

Charlie chuckled as he slid his wand into his pocket and ran his fingers through his hair. 

“I love you, Phillie,” he said, his voice now stronger, his gaze steady. “And… I’m still not sure what will happen in the future, but I know I want to be with you.”

Ophelia stared at him a moment, beginning to smile.

“I love ye too. And I’m sorry too… we have only been together for a few weeks. Even if we are in love, I shouldna have expected ye to immediately want to leave Romania for me,” Ophelia confessed. “Or even know what ye want to do. Decisions like that take time… and I know I would have to think long and hard before leaving Britain for good.”

Charlie was silent a few moments before stepping over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. The look in his eyes took her breath away.

“I want to take it,” he said seriously. “If they open Hebrides, then I want to take the position. It’s important work and… I want to be closer to you. I want to be with _you_. After I got over the shock and the fear, I realized that… I love you and I want to do whatever I can to be near you.”

Ophelia’s mouth fell open as she stared up at him, tears immediately springing to her eyes. He wanted to move to Scotland to be with her. She now suddenly hoped even more that the proposal went through.

“Will you take me?” he asked, his voice soft and a bit of worry creeping into his eyes. Ophelia grinned brightly.

“Aye,” she said, her voice breathless. Charlie grinned and pulled her close, kissing her. Ophelia’s arms went up and wrapped around his neck. She was now even more grateful that she had the rest of the day off. She felt that she and Charlie would need it.

But just as the kiss heated up, there was a knock at the door. Ophelia and Charlie flew apart, their cheeks flushed. She glanced at him, the two sharing a sheepish smile. She then straightened her robes and walked over, opening the door.

“Mr. Larkins,” she said as the older man rushed in.

“I couldn’t wait to give you the news. Ah, Mr. Weasley,” he said, coming to a stop. “We missed you at the presentation, but I’m happy you’re here. Two birds with one stone.” He looked over at Ophelia. “They’ve agreed! We’re going to re-open Hebrides.” 

Ophelia froze a moment as the information washed over her. The proposal had gone through. They were going to re-open the reserve. Merlin, this was really happening.

“And we’d like you to officially lead up the charge,” Larkins continued.

“I, what?” she asked. 

“There is obviously no one better to head up the project. Though you would have to relocate to Scotland to run it once it’s open,” Larkins said. He looked at Charlie. “And I’d like to officially offer you the position of head tamer since you’re here.”

“I’ll take it,” Charlie said immediately. Larkins held his hand out and shook Charlie’s hand. They then both looked over at Ophelia who was still silent, a stunned look on her face. “Phillie?”

“I…”

“You’ll take the job, won’t you?” Larkins asked. Ophelia looked over at him and slowly grinned. She started nodding. 

“Yes, of course, Mr. Larkins,” she said. “I’d be mad not too.” He grinned.

“Perfect. Now, I’ll leave you to it. Get out of here, Ms. Wood. I don’t want to see you back in this office until Thursday. And then the real work begins. We’ll have all the contracts ready then,” he said, striding out of her office, closing the door behind him.

Ophelia grinned and gave a squeal before running over and tossing her arms around Charlie’s neck as he swung her around.

“We did it!” she shouted.

“You did it, Phillie,” Charlie said, placing her back on the ground, though his hands remained on her waist. “We’re really going to do this.” She nodded, though her grin faded slightly.

“Merlin, there’s so much work to do,” she said, the color draining from her face slightly. Charlie chuckled and pressed a kiss against her lips.

“No, Phillie. You heard Larkins. We’re going home and we’re spending the next few days resting. Then you can focus on work,” he said firmly. She laughed and nodded her head. 

“Right, aye,” she said, stepping out of his arms and going to her purse. She then returned to his side. “Let’s go.”

~~~

“Do I really have to stay put?” Ophelia asked from the sofa.

“Yes,” Charlie said sternly, walking back into the living room with two mugs of tea. He held one out to Ophelia and then sat down next to her. Setting his down on the table, he immediately reached over and pulled her feet into his lap, starting to massage them.

Ophelia couldn’t help but moan slightly as she brought her mug up to her lips. Walter perked up his head from her lap, looking first her and then over at Charlie.

“Don’t worry, Walter. She’s fine,” Charlie said, comforting the pug. Ophelia chuckled and scratched his head. Charlie looked around the room, seeing Herbert the rabbit cautiously hopping across the room towards him. “I think I’m winning over Herbert. At least he doesn’t seem so scared of me anymore.”

“Oh, I knew he’d come around soon enough. It’s Madame that you have to work for,” Ophelia said. She glanced around the flat, wondering just where her cat had gotten. She’d come out eventually. In fact, Ophelia was sure that she was already warming up to him.

“How do you think they’ll like Scotland?” he asked.

“Oh, they’ll love it. This one will enjoy running around in a yard,” she said, looking down at Walter.

“He will. If you get a bigger place, could likely adopt some more,” he said with a sigh. Ophelia chuckled.

“Perhaps a baby dragon?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him with a smirk. Charlie chuckled.

“You’ll have Colonel,” he said. Ophelia nodded.

“This is true,” she murmured. She then fell silent, watching him a few moments. For a time, it was as though they weren’t sitting in her flat in the Alley, but rather in the cozy home that he had envisioned at Hebrides. Sitting on a sofa with tea and all the animals, looking out over the reserve.

The image left a warm feeling in her stomach that spread throughout her body. It wasn’t the same as usual heat that Charlie created in her, but it was just as powerful. It was full of hope for the future.

“What’s that look for?” Charlie asked, bringing her out of her reverie. Ophelia shook her head and smiled. 

“It’s… just… I’m kind of excited for the future,” she admitted, not sure how much she wanted to share of her little vision. Charlie studied her a bit and then leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her lips. 

“It won’t be perfect - likely far from, but… I can promise that I’m not going to run away,” he said softly. “Again.” Ophelia chuckled.

“Think that as long as ye’re there, it’ll be just fine for me…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had initially intended to end this chapter after they find out about the proposal going through, but then thought it needed to be a bit longer. And well, realized I talked about all these animals that Ophelia has, but didn’t really show them. Hence, Charlie and Ophelia at her place with all her animals.
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	22. Dragon Tamer of My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Ophelia and Charlie break the news.

**Dragon Tamer of My Heart**   
  


Ophelia woke up the next morning to find her room bathed in warm light. She smiled as she stretched out in her bed, enjoying the lie in after all the work they had done in the last two weeks, but then frowned when she found the other side empty. She sat up and looked over, wondering where Charlie was. For a moment, her heart clenched, but she then realized how silly she was being and settled back in the bed, contemplating what she wanted to do with her day off.

Apparently, Charlie had ideas because no sooner had she settled back in, he walked in with a tray covered in breakfast.

“What’s this?” she asked, sitting up. He walked over and put the tray down and then walked over to the other side of the bed and crawled in next to her, snagging a sausage. Ophelia’s stomach growled slightly as she picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite, looking over at him.

“Thought you deserved breakfast in bed after the last couple weeks,” he said. Ophelia chuckled. 

“Seriously, what did I do to deserve you,” she replied. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. 

“Think it’s me who’s the lucky one,” he replied, reaching for an envelope from the tray that Ophelia just now noticed. 

“What’s that?” she asked. 

“Dunno. Came from Larkins. Guess he figured out where I’ve been staying,” Charlie said, opening it up. 

“Suppose we may have made that a bit obvious yesterday,” Ophelia said. She then leaned over to try and read it over his shoulder. “The contract, maybe?” Charlie hummed, though continued reading. Ophelia kept eating, waiting for him to finish with it. 

“Seems he wants me here as soon as possible,” he said finally. “He was impressed with work so far and thinks I would be invaluable in helping with setting up the reserve.” 

Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly as Charlie looked over at her with a crooked grin. 

“Seems as though we’re going to be working more closely together much sooner than we thought,” he replied.

“I could get used to that,” Ophelia replied. “And ye’ll be needin’ a place to stay before we’ve got the cabins ready.”

“This is true,” Charlie said. 

“Unless ye maw wants ye home,” Ophelia said. Charlie chuckled.

“Oh, I’m sure she will. In fact, I’m waiting a bit longer before I tell her just because I know she’ll be insufferable,” he replied with a sigh. “I love her and my family, don’t get me wrong, but there was a reason I moved to Romania and it wasn’t completely the dragons… Needed a bit of space.”

“Don’t blame you,” Ophelia said. “Certainly can relate to wantin’ space. May not have had six siblings, but Oliver and Duncan certainly made it necessary.”

“As I have now learned. I didn’t recall them being so… invested… at Hogwarts,” he said. 

“Och, likely because ye were too busy with quidditch and all. Though Ollie was never that bad. I could stand to be around him most of the time. Duncan, though… we had to jinx the Hufflepuff barrels to douse him in vinegar every time he showed up, it got so annoying,” she replied with a chuckle. 

Charlie’s eyes widened slightly as the realization hit him.

“Wait… that’s what happened? I’d always ask what he was getting up to when he’d come back reeking of vinegar, but he refused to say,” he said, laughing softly. Ophelia just shrugged as she smiled.

“Apparently never learned his lesson,” she said with a sigh. “And at least wi’ ye family… There’s Percy’s wedding to keep her preoccupied.” Charlie snorted. 

“Mum is quite the multitasker, you’ll find. She can plan a wedding AND manage to pester us to death on settling down,” Charlie said, rolling his eyes slightly. Ophelia laughed loudly.

“Fine, we wait a few more days to tell her ye are moving back. But ye know the longer ye do, the more upset she’s going to be when she does find out,” she said rationally. 

“I’ll gladly take her wrath if it gives us a few more days of peace,” Charlie said.

The front door slammed shut at that moment.

“Phillie!” Oliver shouted. Ophelia rolled her eyes. He must have the day off from training - he would often pop by when he did, claiming he needed a break from his roommate, who played chaser for Puddlemere.

“So much for peace,” she muttered, causing Charlie to snicker.

“Get yer arse out here!” Duncan added. Ophelia froze as she looked over at Charlie. What the hell were both of her brothers doing here?

“We need to talk about Charlie!” Duncan added. The couple gave each other confused looks as Charlie picked up the tray, allowing Ophelia to get out of bed. 

She was thankful they were at least in their pajamas, though she still grabbed her robe and pulled it on before they walked down the corridor and into the living room.

“Just what about Charlie has the two of ye here so early?” Ophelia asked, raising an eyebrow at them. “Aren’t ye supposed to be at work? And how did ye even know I’d be here?”

Oliver’s cheeks turned pink as he saw Charlie standing with her, though Duncan cleared his throat and looked away from the couple, clearing slightly uncomfortable with seeing the proof that Charlie had been staying over with Ophelia.

“Oh, ehm… Martins in magical creatures said ye took the day off,” Duncan said.

“Larkins gave us two days off after we spent two weeks straight killin’ ourselves over the proposal,” Ophelia corrected him.

“How did that go?” Duncan asked, looking back up at her.

“No. First, why are ye here?” Ophelia repeated, undeterred. Duncan sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. 

“Honestly, after seein’ Charlie this weekend and then hearin’ ye took the day off, I worried that ye were in some sort of… downward spiral and wanted to help,” he said. Ophelia’s mouth fell open in shock. “Seemed so wretched I thought maybe I could convince ye to hear him out. Didna want to bother ye on Sunday or yesterday because of the presentation. But… seems ye’ve worked things out…”

“Ye wanted to help me and Charlie?” Ophelia asked, not quite believing it. Well, Oliver she could believe, but certainly not Duncan.

“Is it so hard to believe I might?” Duncan retorted, as though he were hurt. Ophelia snorted.

“Aye, it is,” she said. Duncan sighed and shook his head.

“Look, I reckon someone that messed up over ye… and that desperate to make things right, well, reckon he deserves another chance,” Duncan said.

“How did ye even know we had had an argument?” Ophelia asked, still confused over the whole situation. She looked over at Charlie, wondering why he hadn’t mentioned anything about talking to her brother.

“I went to Shell Cottage afterwards. Didn’t tell anyone what had happened, but Bill owled Duncan and got him over to figure out what was wrong,” Charlie said. “Actually, gave me some good advice…”

Ophelia looked back over at Duncan, even more surprised.

“Och, don’t look at me like that, Phillie,” Duncan said. “I may be too much sometimes, but ye are my wee sister. Gotta look out for ye. And I do want ye to be happy. If that’s with Charlie, then so be it.”

Ophelia just stared at him a few more minutes before a smile broke out and she walked over, throwing her arms around her oldest brother.

“Thanks, Duncan,” she said softly before kissing his cheek. She then stepped back and Charlie immediately was at her side, his arm around her waist.

“So, ehm, when did ye two make up?” Oliver asked, still seeming a bit lost as to what exactly was going on. Appeared Duncan hadn’t shared all the details with him.

“Yesterday,” Ophelia said. “Came back from the presentation to find him waiting in my office. Where he confessed his undying love and then got down on one knee.”

Both Oliver and Duncan froze, Duncan’s mouth gaping as the color drained from his face. Ophelia looked up at Charlie, who was barely containing his laughter.

“Right, so… ye two are getting marrit?” Duncan asked, his voice a few pitches higher than normal. Both Ophelia and Charlie burst out into laughter, unable to hold it in longer.

“Merlin, no. We just got over our obstacle,” Ophelia said, wiping a tear from her eye. “Och, this may have happened rather quickly, but we’re no ready for that.”

Duncan glared at her a moment before turning it to Charlie.

“That was all Phillie,” Charlie said immediately, pointing at her. “I just went along with it.” Duncan groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.

“It’s no that funny,” he shouted, which only made Ophelia and Charlie laugh harder.

“Come on. Think Charlie’s got some breakfast left in the kitchen,” Ophelia said, walking towards the kitchen. Oliver immediately followed her, his attention diverted as soon as she referenced food.

Charlie and Duncan remained in the living room, Charlie finally quieting down as Duncan continued to frown at him. His face then softened as he glanced towards the kitchen and then back at Charlie.

“So… ye two are truly good?” he asked. Charlie nodded.

“Better than good,” he replied. Duncan nodded and then smiled at him.

“Just… be good to her,” he said softly.

“You know I will…”

~~~

Ophelia chuckled as she walked back into the living room later that night, two beers in hand. She sat next to Charlie and held one out to him as Oliver continued on with his story about the new reserve seeker. Duncan was watching them, though she couldn’t really tell what he was thinking.

After breakfast, Ophelia had shooed her brothers away, telling them to come back later that day for dinner. She supposed she could have told them the news then, but she wanted to wait and inform them and Daria at the same time. Besides, Duncan needed to get to the office. And she was enjoying making them wait. Call it payback, if you will.

She and Charlie had then spent the day at a leisurely pace, though at one point, Charlie had pulled out a sketchbook and started working on planning out her cabin. Er, well, technically it was to be the cabin for the head of the reserve, but she had a distinct feeling he - like herself – was already thinking of it as theirs.

But now dinner was finished, and they were all sitting around the living room. From the looks on her brothers and Daria’s faces, they were all suspecting that this wasn’t just a casual get-together.

“Never understood the draw to quidditch. Such a brutal sport,” Daria said before casually sipping her wine as she looked over at Oliver.

“Aye, that’s what makes it so amazing,” Oliver said sternly, frowning at her. Daria just rolled her eyes. 

“So just why are we here?” Duncan asked, directing the conversation back to Ophelia and Charlie, noting the fact that they were now cuddled up together on the sofa.

“Right, well… the presentation went well,” Ophelia said. She then stopped to take a drink.

“Just fucking tell us!” Daria practically yelled, causing all them to look at her in shock. “Oh, shut it, you all were thinking it! We’ve been hearing about this damn proposal non-stop for years. And then you invite us here for dinner and drinks. But this is the first damn time you’ve brought up the damn proposal. So, just tell us because the anticipation is killing me.”

Ophelia chuckled and looked over at Charlie.

“It went through,” she said, looking back at the room.

“I knew it!” Daria cheered. 

“Well done, Phillie,” Oliver said, clapping. 

“And?” Duncan said, his face clearly saying that he knew there was more to this.

“They’ve asked Charlie to be head tamer,” Ophelia said. “He’s accepted the position.”

“So ye are movin’ back?” Duncan asked, his eyebrows rising as a smile filled his face. Charlie nodded. “Brilliant!”

“Yea, but they’ve asked Phillie to run the whole damn thing,” Charlie said. All three froze a moment, before Oliver and Daria jumped to their feet, running over to the couple and dragging them up. 

Ophelia couldn’t help but laugh as Daria threw her arms around her and Oliver slapped Charlie on the back.

“I KNEW IT!” Daria screeched, causing Ophelia to wince.

“They’d be mad not to put ye in charge of Hebrides,” Oliver added. Ophelia couldn’t help but grin at the praise, though at the back of her mind, she was already feeling a bit worried. It was a lot of work – not just rebuilding the reserve and opening it, but then keeping it open.

“Don’t worry, you’ll have me there,” Charlie whispered in her ear, clearing reading her. She smiled gratefully at him.

“Wait, but this means you’re moving to Scotland? What am I going to do without you?” Daria wailed, her mood changing suddenly as she wrapped her arms around Ophelia’s neck again. 

“I’m sure ye’ll survive. And it’s no that far,” Ophelia said, rolling her eyes. “Can get back by floo rather quickly. And it’s no like we’re goin’ tomorrow. Still have loads of work to do before we move up there.”

“I expect one weekend a month with you,” Daria stated as she stepped back and gripped Ophelia’s shoulders. She looked at Charlie, raising an eyebrow at him. “You hear that?”

He raised his hands, an easy smile on his face.

“On my honor, I promise to give her up one weekend a month for you, Daria,” he said solemnly. Daria nodded and then walked back over to her chair, sitting down.

Ophelia then looked towards Duncan, realizing he hadn’t said much. She couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous, though she wasn’t sure why. He had basically given her and Charlie his blessing this morning.

Duncan sat up and leaned forward, studying the two. He then started grinning as he stood and made his way across the room, his hand out to Charlie.

“Congratulations to the both of ye,” he said as Charlie accepted his hand and Duncan pulled him towards him, slapping him on the back. He then turned to Ophelia and pulled her into a crushing hug. “Maw and Da will be happy to hear ye are movin’ closer to home.”

“Merlin, Duncan. It’s no that different,” she replied.

“I meant Charlie,” Duncan said with a chuckle as he started back to his chair. “Ye told yer family yet?”

“Waiting a bit on that,” Charlie said as he and Ophelia sat back down. “Not to mention, I need to go into the Ministry to figure things out before I go back to Romania. Figured I’d get that sorted and then tell them this weekend before I go back on Sunday.”

Ophelia couldn’t help but frown to herself. Of course, she knew that he had to go back to Romania, though in the excitement of the last couple days, she had managed to forget about it. But it was only for a little bit. He’d need to turn in his resignation, clear out his cabin and all. Surely it wouldn’t be longer than a few weeks or a month.

“Merlin, Phillie. Ye look as though Madame ate Herbert,” Duncan quipped. She looked over at him. “He’s coming back for good, ye ken?”

“Aye, I ken,” she said, shifting on the sofa as she frowned at her brother. Both he and Oliver chuckled as Daria smirked.

But then Charlie’s arm was around her, pulling her closer to him and she told herself that he was here right now, which mattered more than however long they would be separated.

Because he was coming back, this she knew for sure.

~~~ 

Charlie looked down at the small thimble in his hand, spinning it around. In just a few minutes, it would transport him to the Ministry of Magic in Bucharest and then he would make his way back to the sanctuary.

And then came telling Andrei and Elena that he was leaving – had accepted a position as head tamer in Hebrides and they wanted him there as soon as possible to help re-open it. And then would be weeks of packing up everything he owned and saying good-bye to the place that had been home for the last 10 years of his life.

He then looked over, seeing Ophelia as she straightened her shirt, knowing that she was avoiding looking at him too much because she’d start crying. While there was still a bit of sadness there at the thought of leaving Romania, it was overwhelmed by hope and excitement for the future. He was being given an amazing opportunity – to help build a reserve from the ground up. To build his own team.

And he got to do all of it with Ophelia at his side.

She finally looked up, tears glistening in her brown eyes. He chuckled softly and reached out to her, pulling her into his arms. Once again, she felt so small in them, but he still knew that she was made of tough stuff.

“It’s only for a few weeks,” he murmured into her hair.

“I ken,” she replied. 

“And then I’m back for good,” he continued.

“Aye,” she said.

“And then you’ll be sick of me,” he said. Ophelia pushed back from him, an incredulous look on her face.

“Never,” she vowed. Charlie only chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. 

“Ah, well, I guarantee you’ll be sick of my family in due time,” he said. Ophelia chuckled as she rolled her eyes slightly.

“I think I handled them well enough yesterday,” she said, raising an eyebrow at him. Charlie couldn’t help but laugh softly.

It was true. Ophelia had more than impressed him, able to handle his mother’s many questions that only mildly danced around the topic of marriage along with George’s more overt jokes. Ginny had then pulled her aside with Fleur and Audrey away from all the others. At first, Charlie worried, but Ophelia assured him that they only wanted to chat with her away from the boys and they had made plans to try and meet up soon.

They had left with Charlie feeling as though she was already part of his family from the way things went yesterday. 

“Right, so… ye make sure ye got everything?” Ophelia asked, suddenly all busines. Charlie chuckled again and nodded.

“Even if I left something, it’s not that big a deal,” he said. “You can owl it to me or hold onto it until I get back.” Ophelia nodded, once again looking away as she blinked rapidly. Charlie reached out, touching her cheek and guiding her to look back at him.

“I love you, Ophelia,” he said. “And I’ll be back before you know it.” A smile lit up her face as she nodded.

“Aye, I love you too, Charlie,” she said. She then went up on her toes, pulling him down to meet her in a tender kiss.

Just why had he been so afraid of this, he couldn’t help but wonder. Now that he had finally confessed his feeling to Ophelia, he couldn’t say it enough. Nor could he stop thinking about the future.

But yet, wouldn’t do to get ahead of himself. Despite everything, he still had to remind himself that they had only been together about a month at this point. Which was odd to think about as it felt as though he had been with Ophelia for his whole life.

“Say hi to Rupert and Colonel for me,” Ophelia said.

“I will. Soon enough, Colonel should be joining us in Hebrides,” he replied.

Charlie then felt the magic beginning to stir in the thimble. He looked at it then back at Ophelia, bending down to press one last kiss against her lips before he stepped back. A tear slid down her cheek, but she remained smiling.

He put up his hand, waving.

“I love you!” she called out. Charlie chuckled.

“Love you too!”

He had just gotten it out when he felt the magic pull at him and suddenly, the Ministry of Magic in London was gone, and he was standing in the rather empty Bucharest Ministry. He flipped the thimble in the air, then easily caught it as he walked to return it and make his way through customs.

All the while happily counting down the days until he would once again be with the woman he loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it’s a happy ending for our lovebirds… but hold on… one more chapter…
> 
> Thanks for reading and following!


	23. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Hogwarts/Post-War (2000)  
> Genre: Romance/Humor  
> Rating: E (Some language throughout; few chapters will have sex scenes that will be marked)
> 
> Set two years later... just what happens with everyone?

**Epilogue**

_Two Years Later_

Charlie rolled over in bed without opening his eyes, reaching out for Ophelia to pull her closer, though it was rare for her to be out of his arms while sleeping. When he found her side of the bed empty, he popped an eye open, frowning slightly. He then sat up and stretched, realizing that the sun was starting to rise, meaning she would most definitely be up. 

While he had always thought of himself as an early riser, he was surprised to find that Ophelia almost always got up before him. 

And once they moved into the house in Hebrides, well, there was only one place she cared to be in the morning.

Getting out of bed, he slid into his slippers and robe, then stretched as he made his way out of their bedroom and into the large, open living room and kitchen. He stopped for a moment, seeing the sun starting to come up over the horizon and Ophelia standing still out on the large porch, a light robe on and a mug of coffee in her hands. Her light brown hair was down, the summer breeze blowing through it slightly. 

He enjoyed the first few moments of every day, when he would walk out and see her standing on the porch, looking out over the Hebrides reserve that they had helped build together. Standing on the porch of the house that he had designed specifically for her. It was the picture he had held in his mind two years ago when they first came to look at the old reserve. This house, the windows, the porch. But most importantly, Ophelia. 

With a small smile on his face, he made his way over to the coffee pot and poured his own, then stepped outside, joining her. Even with the breeze cooling the air, he could tell it was going to be a warm day.

“Morning,” he said, wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing the side of her head. She smiled wistfully up at him and then looked back out at the main camp spread out below them. While most of those who lived and worked there were likely still curled in bed, there were a couple signs of people starting to get up and start their days. 

“Should go out to check on Colonel before I go into the office,” she said, her brow furrowing slightly. 

Charlie looked over in the general direction of where Colonel’s permanent habitat was located near the top of a small mountain. While within walking distance, he was still a fair way off from the main camp and Charlie didn’t think there was a strong chance of any visitors wandering off near there.

“Should be fine,” he said, looking back down at her.

“Ye ken how he gets. Worried with so many more folks on the reserve than usual, he’ll get a bit testy,” she replied, her eyes moving over to Colonel’s cave. 

“You hardly ever worry about Colonel. You sure this isn’t actually about the festival?” Ophelia looked up at him, still frowning slightly. “I’ve told you thousands of times. Everything is going to be fine. You’ve spent ages working on this and preparing the staff. There’s no reason to think that anything is going to go wrong.” 

Ophelia rolled her eyes slightly as she looked back out at the reserve. 

“Oh, aye. Ye can say that. But anything goes wrong and it’s my head,” she said, a bit tense. Charlie sighed and put his mug down on a nearby table, then turned her to face him, wrapping his hands around her waist and forcing her to look up at him.

“How many times have I told you that we’re in this together?” he asked.

“Every day,” she replied with a sigh. Charlie bent down, kissing her on the forehead.

“Since Day 1, I promised you that we were together in everything,” he said. “Besides that, you’ve done amazing work with the reserve. The anniversary festival is going to go off without a hitch. No one is going to get hurt. In fact, none of the guests will be anywhere near any of the fully grown dragons,” Charlie said. “Even with the babies and younger ones, they’ll be kept at a safe distance. Really, it’s a brilliant idea to celebrate the first year of the reserve and generate more interest.”

“But what about the donor tour? Merlin, we-”

“The donor tour will be fine. Or do you not trust my ability to handle a dragon should it get out of hand?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. “And you’ll be with me as well as the others.” Ophelia just stared up at him. “Merlin, I don’t think you were even this nervous when you were proposing this whole project.” 

Ophelia chuckled softly then placed her hand on his chest, moving closer. 

“I am being a bit ridiculous, aren’t I?” she asked, finally seeming to relax.

“Slightly,” Charlie said. “But I understand.” 

“Ye really think the festival will go over well?” she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

“I know it will. Because you’re brilliant and you came up with it,” Charlie replied. Ophelia rolled her eyes again, but still smiled and didn’t step away from him. Instead she went up on her toes and kissed him.

“I’m gonna shower and then head out to see Colonel… if ye care to join me,” she said as she turned and started back into the house.

“In the shower or with Colonel?” Charlie called out. Ophelia stopped and looked at him over her shoulder, a mischievous spark in her eyes.

“Both,” she said, winking and then turning and continuing into the house.

Charlie took a deep breath and slowly let it out, feeling the heat beginning to course through him. Two years together, and still all it took was one look and he would burn for her. He was fairly sure that it would always be that way. 

He bent down and picked up his mug, watching as she disappeared into their bedroom, pulling her robe off on the way. Once she was out of sight, he reached into his robe pocket, pulling out the small box that he had been carrying around for months. Charlie flicked it open, staring down at the modest diamond ring. Duncan had helped him pick it out, though he was still terrified that she’d hate it.

But Duncan assured him that Ophelia would like it. She wasn’t one for flashy jewelry anyway.

“Charlie!” Ophelia shouted. “Hurry up!”

Chuckling, Charlie slipped the ring box back into his pocket as he walked into the house. 

“Coming!”

~~~

Ophelia stood in front of the main office, watching as various people wandered around the main area of the reserve where the festival had been set up. There was a carnival atmosphere with various stalls running up and down the way selling everything from enchanted balloons to candied apples and popcorn and dragon toys. They had also set up some rides in the large, open areas around the main camp that were all dragon themed.

She never thought she would ever be grateful for George Weasley in her life with all the ribbing he gave her and Charlie, but for this, she was truly grateful. He had developed loads of special sweets and toys and games just for the festival.

Every two hours, they did small tours of the hatchery, allowing the guests to see the baby dragons - which were deemed far safer than showing any of the full-grown or injured dragons. Though later in the afternoon, Charlie and Ophelia would take a small group of donors on a private tour that included some of the habitats and the older dragons that were more used to being around humans.

Now that things were in full swing and the opening ceremony was out of the way, Ophelia felt far more relaxed. So far things were going well, and she realized that Charlie was right. There was no reason for her to worry. 

“Oi, Wood!”

She turned, her eyes lighting up as she saw Bletchley and Flint walking towards her.

“Ye made it!” she exclaimed, hugging first Bletchley and then Flint. Though it was a bit awkward the first time she ran into him after he found out about Charlie, it seemed there were no hard feelings. He had even been dating her housemate Maria for the last few months. “What do ye think?”

“Never ceases to amaze me, the things you do,” Bletchley said, looking around them. “I mean, I was impressed with the reserve, but this festival…” He whistled as he looked back down at her. Ophelia just shrugged as she looked around. 

“Took a group effort,” she said, causing Bletchley to snort. Ophelia looked over at him, eyebrows raised. 

“Still the same old Wood,” Flint said, chuckling. “Though… your brother here yet?” The chaser looked around the festival, a cautious look sneaking into his eyes. 

“Och, ye two are ridiculous,” Ophelia scoffed. “Bloody 26 and still holdin’ onto that, are ye?”

“No, at least I’m not,” Flint retorted, frowning at her.

“Where’s that Dragon Man of yours?” Bletchley asked, smirking and seeming eager to divert the conversation from her twin. 

“Right here,” Charlie said, stepping out of the main office and placing his arm around her waist. “Good to see you again.” He held out his hand to Bletchley, shaking his hand and then Flint’s. “You lot intendin’ to go on the tour later?”

“Hoping to,” Bletchley said. “Colonel doing well?”

“Well, enough,” Ophelia said. “Though he’s most definitely not on the tour.”

“Boss!” someone shouted. Ophelia sighed as she looked over, seeing a young woman rushing up to her. 

“If you’ll excuse me, duty calls,” Ophelia said. Charlie bent down and kissed her cheek before she walked off. “What is it, Toni?” For a moment, worry seized her heart.

“Stop worrying. Just wanted to see if I could have about 15 minutes to show my family around,” the tamer said, smiling at her. Ophelia breathed a sigh of relief.

“Of course, just be sure that ye are in the hatchery-”

“Stop worrying, I got it, boss,” the young woman said with a chuckle before turning and jogging off towards a small group of people. Ophelia watched them a moment before turning to look around, wondering where her own family was. 

“OPHELIA!” 

Even at a distance, she found herself jumping slightly as she turned around and saw Daria walking towards her with a bright grin on her face, her brothers and parents following not far behind. Charlie joined her as they walked up, and she embraced her best friend.

“This is fantastic!” Daria gushed, looking around. “I mean, I knew it would be, but… Merlin…”

“I mean, I always knew you would be the one for Charlie, but you just continue to prove it.”

Ophelia looked past Daria, seeing the Weasleys walking up. To anyone else, she supposed it could be overwhelming - their two families together along with Daria - but Ophelia was now long used to it. Took awhile, but soon enough, she and Charlie had said their hellos and hugged everyone. And then check on all the pregnant women. In the last two years, George had managed to marry Angelina, while Harry and Ginny, then Ron and Hermione got engaged. While Ginny’s wedding was still a few months away, she had confided to Ophelia, Audrey, Fleur and Angelina that she was two months pregnant. 

Then Fleur, Audrey and Angelina had somehow all gotten pregnant at the same time. Ophelia was already thinking Christmas with the Weasleys was sure to be mad this year. Certainly, always was with her family and that was with Oliver and Duncan still single.

Though as they all stood chatting, she couldn’t help but notice something out of the corner of her. Namely that Daria was pointedly ignoring Duncan, which was odd. Normally, her best friend never gave up the chance to take the mickey out of him or Oliver. But at the moment, she was caught up in an animated conversation with Audrey and Angelina, shooting looks at Duncan every so often, who was now standing next to Charlie. 

Ophelia made a point to ask about that when they were alone.

“Well, then. Should I give ye a bit of a tour?” Ophelia asked. While various parts of their families had come to visit, some were coming for the first time.

“Lead the way!” Daria said boisterously, linking her arm through Ophelia’s. It was a bit strange that she was so eager - she had been here loads of times over the last year. But Ophelia just shrugged and turned, leading the rather large group with her as Charlie fell into step with Duncan, the two whispering furiously.

Yes, something most definitely was going on.

~~~

Later that day after the sun had gone down, Ophelia walked back over to Daria, holding out a special cocktail that George had concocted for the event, aptly named Dragon’s Fire. Her best friend took it as she sat down in the chair next to her, taking a sip of her own.

“Fucking hell!” Ophelia shouted, nearly spitting it out. She then glared over at George, who was chuckling. 

“May have gotten a bit heavy handed with the firewhiskey,” he said, though his grin said that he was anything but sorry. 

“George Weasley!” Mrs. Weasley shouted, though she was grinning and her rosy cheeks betrayed the fact that she had already had a couple sips of her own. 

“Right good, I say!” Fergus Wood called out boisterously, causing Ophelia to roll her eyes as she turned her attention back to Daria. Most of the other guests had left so it was just their families and few select friends.

“So are ye going to tell me or do I have to weasel it out?” she asked, dropping her voice so that the others wouldn’t hear.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Daria said immediately, taking a large drink, but then wincing. “Merlin, he wasn’t kidding.” 

“Talk, Daria,” Ophelia ordered. Daria sighed.

“Well…”

“DARIA PUCEY, I LOVE YOU!”

Ophelia whipped her head over to look at her brother, who was standing with George and Charlie next to the drink table they had set up, his eyes wide in shock as he slapped his hand over his mouth. He then turned to glare at George, who was now laughing hysterically. 

“What the hell?” Ophelia asked, looking back at Daria. Her best friend was slightly stricken though she looked over at Duncan.

“I love you too,” she said before slapping her own hand over her mouth.

There were a few moments of shocked silence as they all looked from Duncan to Daria, though Charlie was now staring down into his own cup and then over at George worriedly. 

“Well… it’s about damn time,” Oliver said, finally breaking the silence. Ophelia turned back to Daria.

“Ye cannae be serious,” she said, though she couldn’t help as the urge to laugh came over her. All the years that the two had pestered each other, in a way, it did make sense.

“Oh, thank MERLIN,” Ophelia heard her mother exclaim. She looked back at her parents, her mother looking slightly gobsmacked for a moment as her father began guffawing.

“Maw!” Duncan shouted. 

“Well, it’s tha truth,” Davina said, residing herself to the fact that she had said what she said, now taking another drink. “Was beginning to think ye’d never settle…” 

All at once, there was laughter and shouting as half the group descended upon George, angry that he had obviously slipped something into the drinks. The others seemed entertained, though likely because they had no deep dark secrets to accidentally share. Ophelia turned back to Daria, starting to grin.

“So…. ye and Duncan?” she asked. Daria groaned and rolled her eyes.

“I mean, I didn’t intend to keep it a secret. And well, part of me thought it was over. We had a right good row about telling everyone a couple days ago,” she admitted. “We’d been dating behind everyone’s backs for the last several months as it is…”

“Hence the avoidance and such today,” Ophelia said with a chuckle.

“You aren’t angry with me?” Daria asked, her voice hopeful. Ophelia snorted.

“Why should I be angry? It makes sense now that I think about it… ye and Duncan,” she admitted. “We could be sisters for real.” 

Daria stared at her a few moments, tears glistening in her eyes before she threw her arms around Ophelia.

“Och, don’t strangle me,” Ophelia called out with a laugh. Daria let go of her. “Think ye should go make things right with my bampot of a brother. Hope ye know what ye’re gettin’ into.” Daria grinned deliriously as she looked over at Duncan.

“Oh, I do,” she said, rising from her chair. Ophelia watched as she walked over and threw her arms around Duncan’s neck, kissing him soundly. Ophelia chuckled as whistles and shouts went up around the group.

“Ladies and Gentlemen! If you would avert your eyes to the sky - though I know it’s difficult with that display,” George shouted. He then shouted as Angelina punched him in the arm. Rolling his eyes, he returned to the task at hand. “On behalf of Weasleys Wizards Wheezes, I’d like to present to you… the most amazing firework display you’ll ever see!” 

Ophelia snorted, though settled back in her chair and looked up at the night sky as the various lanterns around them went out. 

In a second, the sky was full of color. Ophelia’s eyes widened as she saw dragons of all shapes and sizes flying through the sky, amazed that George had managed to adapt the fireworks so that they wouldn’t make too much noise and rile up the dragons on the reserve. 

As the show continued, she couldn’t help but think it was the most magical thing she had ever seen.

Sensing a presence next to her, she looked over, seeing Charlie easing down into the chair that Daria had abandoned. He smiled over at her, and she reached over, taking his hand and then turning her eyes back to the sky. 

The display continued on for another 15 or so minutes, with the crowd gathered cheering and clapping. 

“Phillie,” Charlie said, his mouth next to her ear.

“Oh, it’s amazing,” Ophelia breathed, her eyes still fixed on the sky.

“I need to ask you something,” he said urgently. Ophelia looked over at him, a worried look on her face. He looked as though he were fighting with himself over something.

“What is it?” she asked. 

“Phillie, I… will you… Damnit, George…” 

“OH MY GOD!” 

Ophelia’s eyes turned back up to the sky, seeing a large Hebridean Black roaring through the sky and getting dangerously close to the crowd, causing a few shouts of surprise. It then arched back up, his mouth opening as fire cascaded out. The flames stretched out across the sky, forming words. 

Ophelia’s heart stopped for a moment as they became clearer.

_Will you marry me, Phillie?_

Ophelia turned to look back at Charlie, her eyes wide and mouth gaping as tears sprung up. Charlie looked mildly relieved as he smiled down at her. 

“Thank, Merlin. Once I realized George spiked the drinks, I was worried I wouldn’t hold out long enough,” he breathed. “So… will you, Phillie?” 

Ophelia opened and closed her mouth a few times before shaking her head slightly. She then grinned at Charlie.

“Aye,” she breathed just before her lips crashed against his. Cheers rose up around them. While she thought she could kiss him all night, she did remember that they were surrounding by their friends and family. So, she sat back in her chair, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“Phillie, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met,” Charlie said. While she knew it was partly George’s potion, Charlie had said it enough before that she giggled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, opening it up and presenting it to her. 

Ophelia thought it was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. 

Charlie then pulled it out and slid it onto her finger.

“I love you, Phillie. Always will,” Charlie said, staring deep into her eyes.

“I love you, too, Charlie. Always will,” Ophelia repeated. As she leaned over to kiss him again, more fireworks shot up into the air, exploding into a giant fire. This time, she didn’t care that their families were watching.

Not far off, George sighed happily as he wrapped his arm around Angelina.

“That was nice of you to help him, though did you really need the potion?” she asked, looking up at him, an eyebrow quirked.

“Yes, those two definitely needed it,” George said, pointing his thumb over at Daria and Duncan, who were now gazing up at each other lovingly. “But Charlie… he didn’t need much help.” 

“What makes you say that?” Angelina asked, thinking Charlie was rather shy when it came to the Weasleys and probably needed more help than anyone. George sighed happily.

“Knew from the moment I saw them together,” he said. “And you know what they say about a Weasley and a Wood.” Angelina snorted.

“What is that exactly?” she asked incredulously, expecting some sort of raunchy joke. George looked down at her, still grinning.

“They take like fire to kindle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just had to pull the title back in a bit more there but felt like that ending was the best place. And having George say it.
> 
> Final notes on this story - I really loved writing it. But writing in a Scottish accent is fucking hard. And I'm sure I've fucked it up in places. It's a mix of what I know from my Scots friends here in Seoul, watching/reading Outlander, watching YouTube videos and reading a lot of Outlander fanfic. Dude, I need to write a story that's just... pure American next. Damn. But once I started in that first chapter, I knew I had to commit to it for the rest of the story... for better or for worse...
> 
> Hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it! Thanks for reading and following!

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been wanting to write a Charlie fic for SO LONG. But I couldn’t really get a good idea for a story. And then this gem came to me. Had so much fun writing it, to be honest. Just a mushy, feel-good rom-com for ya. And well… I do remember a certain follower of a previous story asking that I write one, so here we are. No worries, we’ll meet Charlie soon – chapter three to be specific… And I am also posting this to FF.net at the same time, but this one is a bit more... mature... in a few chapters. *wink wink*


End file.
